Save Me, Jump City
by Pegelia Von Borrador
Summary: Ten years after all of the cities' villains have been destroyed, the Titans have broken up and attempt to live normal lives. Beast Boy tries to reach Raven, who has allowed her dark side to take over and now lives by drugs and prostitution. And Robin is haunted by the beautiful supermodel Kori Anderson – whose real name is Starfire, the girl who got away. (RxS, BBxRae, CyxBee)
1. The Most Beautiful Girl in Jump City

**Hello everyone, and welcome to 'Save Me, Jump City'! I normally don't do author's notes before the chapter - I'd rather just let everyone read - but I wanted to clear something up real quick. If any of you have read my previous story 'Heartbeats', this story has NO correlation to the plotline of that (ie, Raven and Beast Boy do not have a child together). This is canon with the animated series, except it takes place ten years after the end of the series. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans! All rights to DC Comics. Here we go:**

**Chapter One – The Most Beautiful Girl in Jump City**

* * *

The day started off with a shampoo commercial.

"Kori, sweetheart, you are beautiful! Can I get a pout?"

She pushed her lips together, angled her chin down, and gave the camera a smoldering look. Her red hair like fire tumbled over her shoulders. After a few clicks from his camera, she switched it up, tossing back her hair and giving a winning smile. The lighting guy's pants bulged.

"Kori, darling, I love you. I am in fucking love with you. Can we get one on your stomach, please?"

She laid down on the couch, flipped up her slender ankles, and leaned over. Bright green eyes peeked out over a curtain of hair.

"Oh, my God, you're the most beautiful girl in Jump City!"

_I know. Seriously._

"Alright, one last one on your back, and then maybe a clip for the commercial? We can send it to corporate, they'll jizz their pants, you're sure to get the next campaign."

Not to be a bitch, but she already knew she'd get the next campaign. Shampoo commercials came as easily as marriage proposals to her. All she had to do was wake up and let down her hair, and every photographer in the City was on her dick.

She flipped over in her skirt, giving the boys a fun glimpse at her strawberry-colored lace panties, and then stretched out her long body, letting her hair fall over her chest. The photographer finished clicking, a wild-eyed look on his face, and then she sat up and they brought in the film guys. There was a quick stop at makeup, then they gave her the shampoo and got behind the lens.

She didn't even need a script anymore. "L'Oreal," she said, her voice sultry and her smile enchanting, "for hair that shines like the stars."

It was her signature phrase. After a few takes, the whole room burst out into applause, and the assistant came forward with her after-shooting favorite – hot dog with loads of mustard. It wasn't considered socially acceptable to drink mustard. Damned shame.

As she was munching, walking towards her dressing room, the director came out. "Ms. Anderson, I have to thank you so much. It really is an honor to work with you."

"The pleasure is mine," she beamed. "Lance is one of my favorite photographers in the city, and you've got a great crew. I'm happy to work here."

"We'll do everything in our power to make sure you get the next campaign, Ms. Anderson. I'm sure corporate will love it."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed." She leaned down – at five ten, she was taller than a lot of guys she met – and gave him a cordial kiss on the cheek. "I've got to get back to my agency, but it was great seeing you! Have a good rest of your day."

"Thank you, Ms. Anderson!" He smiled like a baby as she went into her dressing room. There was a brief pitstop for her commuting sandals – Jimmy Choo, of course – and her Prada bag, and then the supermodel formerly known as Starfire headed out onto the streets of Jump City.

She used to listen to her iPod on the way to work, but she figured out quickly that it was the sounds of the city that she needed to hear. Screaming people, honking cars, blasting music, especially on the east side fashion district where she worked. Upscale bars with slick waiters all ready to tell her how damned gorgeous she was.

Every day she listened to the sounds of the city. She wasn't sure what she was expecting to hear. A scream of someone in danger; the battle cry of a villain; the blaring siren of the alarm. Ten years and she still waited.

Starfire shook her head and kept walking.

It wasn't far to her agency, at the corner of 25th and Tangerine. She did shampoo commercials on the side, because they were so damned easy, but she was serious about her job as a supermodel. She'd been in the Prada show last year, and was hoping for Gucci this year. Vain, stupid, vapid shit. But she needed to pay the bills somehow. And it turned out that she was pretty hot.

As she got up to the sixth floor where she worked, two skinny male assistants were having trouble lifting up a gigantic box, probably full of shoes.

"Oh, guys, let me help!" She ran forward.

"Don't sweat it, Kori," one of them said, his young face twisted in pain. "We got it. It's really sort of a two-person thing."

_Oh, yeah. All 260 pounds of the two of you together are doing such a good job._

She reminded herself that supermodels normally didn't have superstrength.

"Okay," she said, turning down the hall and heading to her office. A million tall skinny bitches walked past her, giving her deferential nods. Kori Anderson was the prima donna model of the last century. They all knew she was the queen bee.

"Kori! How was working with the peons?"

"The guys at L'Oreal aren't peons, Stella."

Her boss was attempting very hard to be Meryl Strep from _The Devil Wears Prada._ Today she was wearing oversized sunglasses inside and was carrying one of those giant Starbucks glasses, spilling cappuccino all over the carpet. She tottered over to Starfire in her Jeffrey Campbells and grinned.

"Well, I'm sorry, but when you've got the guys from Gucci on the phone, everyone else seems so…blasé."

"Gucci called?" Her heart raced.

"Yes! They want to interview next week. When are you free?"

"For Gucci, whenever they want me. Well…actually, not next Tuesday afternoon."

"What's up?"

"Personal."

She clenched her fists together. Once a week she needed the release. She hadn't gotten a chance to this week, and she could already feel the power in her hands, itching to explode. She couldn't take chances with her powers when she had a Gucci appointment. She had to get it out of the way quick.

"Can you ask for any time after Tuesday?"

"I'll do what I can." Stella winked and moved back down the office. "You're a gem, Kori."

"Oh, stop it."

Starfire headed down the well-lit hallway to her personal office. She slipped behind the desk, clicked on her email, and saw that the Pantene guy had emailed her twice asking for a shot next week. Jesus, that photographer was apeshit. Wanted her to try that new modeling fad where you look ugly to look pretty. Was it just her, or was that really stupid?

Thinking about it, small green sparks flew out of her hands.

_Shit._ She put her hands beneath the desk and thought. No choice now. She had to go tonight. Her powers had been building up all week. If she didn't get rid of them somehow, she was gonna have another incident.

She'd have to explain to her boyfriend, Gary, where she was going. He wanted her to look at houses with him that night. He'd been begging her to move to Gotham city with him for a year now.

Behind her, beautiful sunlight streaked in, setting all of her silver desk supplies afire. She allowed herself a breath and looked out her window. The sun burned bright, the city teethed with people, possibilities, potential. So much out there. So many lives she'd saved, once upon a time.

She couldn't leave. She couldn't shake the feeling that this city still needed her.

"Kori?"

The receptionist poked her head in. Starfire snapped out of her reverie.

"Yeah?"

"They released the theme for the D&G show this year. It's 'Wide Blue Sky'."

"That's fun."

"Yeah. They want some supermodels to be birds. Stella told me to ask you first. What do you think?"

"Can they rig up some sort of flying apparatus?"

"I can call them and ask."

Flying? She hadn't gotten a chance to do that, even fake flying, in so long. "If they do that, then I'm so in."

"I'll make the call," she said with a smile, scribbling the answer on her clipboard. "Any preference for what bird you'd be? They're just starting the designs."

Starfire snuck a glance out at the sky. Something fluttered deep in her chest.

"Well," she said, her voice soft, "my favorite birds have always been robins."

* * *

The day ended with a car thief.

He hopped in his own car, the feel of the gas pedal sending sparks up his legs, and cruised out of the station with the siren blaring. Eleven at night, and the streets were dead for a Friday. With the red Corvette in his sight, he punched the gas and flew through the night.

The idiot drove down a dead end after only a few miles. Damned shame. The chase had been so fun.

And then, because the night couldn't get any better, when he'd finally cornered the Corvette in a side street on the south side, the thief actually had the nerve to pull a gun.

"Listen, buddy, I'm armed," he said, dirty fingers gripping tight to the small pistol.

Boots crunched on the gravel. The heavy door of the cop car slammed shut. In the sickly neon light from a strip club next door, a black-haired police officer wearing sunglasses walked towards the thief.

"Seriously, I'll shoot you!"

"You're cute."

"What – "

He reached out, broke the thief's wrist with one hand and slammed him to the ground with another. While the idiot was still seeing stars, he'd come up from behind and began cuffing him.

"You are under arrest for theft. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot – "

"Who the fuck _are_ you?" The thief spat.

"Officer Grayson, Jump City PD."

"How did you do that?"

"I get paid to do this."

"You really need to get laid."

He couldn't stop it. He punched the thief in the ear.

"What the _fuck_ – "

Officer Grayson leaned over and hissed, "Bad move, wise guy. Now I'm pissed."

He pulled him to his feet and threw him in the backseat of the car. Going far faster than was legal, the police officer formerly known as Robin sped back to headquarters to put another criminal in jail.

He sped down the streets, but slowed down as he neared the station. He didn't want to go home yet. This fucking car thief had managed to pour salt in his largest wound, the one deep in his chest, between his lungs.

"Can't I know the name of the guy who arrested me?" The thief said from the backseat.

"I already told you."

"What about a first name?"

"Not in your Miranda rights, now was it?"

"I'm Larry Todd."

Robin smirked. "I'm Dick. It was not a pleasure to meet you."

"Do you enjoy busting up normal guys like me?"

"More than life itself."

"My girlfriend's gonna kill me for this…you sure you had to bring me in?"

"Stealing cars is a felony." He couldn't help but sneak a glance in the rearview mirror. This fuckup had a girlfriend?

Larry Todd smirked. "Do I sense jealousy from the big shot police officer?"

Robin pulled out his gun and leveled it over the back of his chair. Larry stopped smiling when the click of the cock came. "Shut it."

They drove in silence for another few minutes. Robin laid his gun on the passenger seat and stared at the stars. God, they were beautiful tonight.

If he turned on his TV tonight, she'd be beautiful. She was everywhere. Her infectious smile, her flaming red hair. Those mesmerizing alien eyes, staring at him from every billboard in this city.

He needed to leave. Needed to get over her. But he could never leave. He could never leave the city where the two of them had saved so many lives.

Besides, at least here, no matter how painful it was, at least he'd be able to see her.

"The one that got away?" Larry asked.

"Not really any of your business."

"Mine was named Maria. How about yours?"

"I don't have to answer that."

Larry rolled his eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Star. Her name was Star."

"That's kind of a stupid name."

Robin reached for the gun.

"Geez, man, I'm sorry, chill."

Robin eased back down on the gas. The sooner he got this asshole out of the car, the better. He could never manage to talk about her for more than five minutes.

When they pulled into the police station, the rookie officer was standing by, ready to take this guy in. Robin opened the door and murmured,

"Can you take him? I gotta get out of here."

"Sure, Dick, but – "

Robin swung around to his own car sitting outside the station. Just as before, he slammed on the gas and heard the screech of the tires as he peeled out into the streets. He couldn't go fast enough. One of the city's best officers was on the verge of breaking the law.

But he still couldn't go fast enough. Tonight, he wanted to fly.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and I promise to update soon! 3, PVB**


	2. Methods of Escape

**Chapter Two – Methods of Escape**

* * *

The night wind froze her.

She walked through the streets, her high boots clacking on the cobblestones. Cigarette smoke wafted across her face, felt familiar. Her sore thighs, back and vagina drained her strength. She should have stayed out. But she needed to get home.

The alley twisted, leading her to a small flight of stairs and the broken lettering '1918 67th'. She fished her key out of her bra and let herself in quickly. No telling who walked through the streets this late.

Music pounded from upstairs. The smell of weed assaulted her senses. She closed her eyes and climbed the stairs with tired legs. Police cars driving by threw red and blue lights across the peeling wallpaper.

Her roommate Kyla sat in a circle at the center of their run-down living room. A giant bong occupied most of the space, and around them Raven's acquaintances and fuck buddies passed around cigarettes and joints with disaffected looks in their eyes.

"Hey, girl," Kyla said.

"Hey."

"How was it? You're home early."

She fell down on the floor. "It was Luis. He likes it rough."

Too rough. She hadn't bled in years – not from sex, at least – but when the deed was done, something within her had been torn again. She had meant to stay out for the rest of the night, see what other customers she could get, but there was only so much she could handle.

"I'm sorry, girl." Kyla had sympathetic eyes. It was one of the reasons she stayed. "Wanna hit?"

Raven weighed the options in her mind. She wanted to shower, to sleep off her night. Then she realized she would have to do this again tomorrow. What she really wanted was to forget.

"Gimme some H," she said, dropping her bag.

"Rachel – "

"I got this, Kyla." She turned to Ross, a blonde haired dealer on the other side of the circle. "Come on, Ross, hit me up."

"Gotta pay."

"Oh, please, that's my shit you're dealing over there. I set you up with my dealer like, five months ago. You owe me a hit."

Ross gave a chuckle. "You are shrewd, Rach."

"From you, that's a compliment." A small syringe of heroine got passed down the circle. Raven grabbed a belt off the ground and tightened it around her upper arm with her teeth.

The circle got quiet when Raven pulled up her shirt and looked for a vein.

"You really outta stop," one girl said.

She ignored her. The infected abscesses dotting her arm made it almost impossible to find a functioning vein anymore. She really should have been checking to see if the needle was clean, but at this point she figured she only had a few years left to live, so who gave a fuck?

Finally, there was one. Small, blue and bulging. Right at the crook of her elbow.

"Rachel, honey…I don't think – "

"Shut it," Raven said, plugging the needle right into her vein. She released the belt with her teeth and looked up at the circle with a crooked smile.

"See you tomorrow night," she said.

She punched in the syringe, pulled it back out, and then descended into blackness.

* * *

The morning sun burned him.

Coming into the office at five in the morning was almost bearable, until the sun rose. And then he was sitting at his desk, scattered empty energy drinks around him, with the blinding sunrise making his tired eyes turn inward and squeeze shut.

Besides, green skin had always been sensitive to the sun.

"Hey, Gar, you got a minute?"

He turned to the voice and recognized his boss through the pounding headache. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I'm worried about the pilot just like you."

"Well, worry no more." He made a few last clicks into the computer. "This script is pure gold. I can personally guarantee it."

"I know, Garfield. You're the best writer this studio has ever seen. That's why I'm here actually."

His boss, a tall middle-aged man, sat down opposite him. Beast Boy had always felt awkward around him – he was Nordic, and his skin was incredibly white. Living a normal life as a green guy was hard enough. But when anybody had skin that reminded him of her…

"Garfield?"

"Sorry, what's up?" He snapped out of it.

"Well, I've got a gig for you."

"Me? Jack, you know I don't do stand-up anymore."

"I know. But it's from the Biltmore, up on the East Side. They were hoping you'd reconsider." He pulled a folded piece of paper out from his breast pocket and handed it to Beast Boy, whose eyes bugged when he saw the figure written inside.

"Someone is willing to pay this much to listen to my jokes?" He asked.

"Turns out you're actually the cat's pajamas, as it were." Jack grinned at the sheer genius of his joke, and Beast Boy resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Well, I can't exactly say no to that. Thanks for setting it up, dude. Want me to call them back, say I'm interested?"

"No, I'll take care of it." Jack stood to walk out, but paused as he was leaving the door. "Hey, Garfield?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you change?"

_Goddamn it._

"Seriously, dude?"

"Real quick. Just to start the morning off right."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and morphed into a goat. Jack laughed, and after Beast Boy morphed back, Jack left the room, calling out from down the hall,

"You're the best, BB!"

His heart clenched painfully.

_It doesn't feel right unless she calls me that._

Who was he kidding. She'd never called him that. Garfield sometimes, when they were having sex. BB, if she was making fun of him. It had always been B. Just B.

When they were having sex, he called her Rae.

He couldn't take it, morphed into a hawk and flew out of the window.

Furiously pumping his wings, he climbed so high into the sky that nobody would notice the green hawk above the city. Up here, the sun didn't feel like as much of an enemy. It warmed his feathers, allowing him to stretch and enjoy the feel of flying. Up here, he never had to worry about meetings, deadlines, whether he was actually funny or not. He'd never had to worry about wax wings. If anything happened, he could always fly to the sun.

But he never did. He never left the city. Its very bigness was what kept him. Mostly, nobody noticed random green animals running around, even if he was the one Titan who had never been able to successfully integrate into society because of his skin.

He knew Cyborg ran a tech company on the north side. But the others had apparently managed to integrate so well that they'd simply disappeared.

She had to be long gone by now. She had no special ties to this city; this world wasn't her world. When whatever they had fell down, silently and slowly, she had probably cut out to somewhere, he didn't know where.

As usual, when he was up here, he let his sharp eyes scan the streets, the alleys, the garages. As usual, there was no sign of purple hair. Maybe she'd changed it. Maybe she didn't want to be found. And he knew that if she was trying to avoid him, she was the one person in the world who could do that better than anyone.

He pumped his wings and started to turn around. They were probably wondering where he was. The flight had given him a chance to stretch; the rest of the day would run better. Hopefully the pilot episode of the new comedy they were filming would go smoothly. If not, he always had that stand-up gig to boost his confidence.

With perfect timing, he landed back on his windowsill and turned once again to scan the city. Maybe, one day, she'd be there. Maybe, one day, she'd let him find her.

Until then, he would never leave Jump City.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, guys! Please review and tell me what you think, I'd really appreciate it. Next chapter: one of our Titans finds Raven! See you then...PVB**


	3. Thorns

**Chapter Three – Thorns**

* * *

"Cyborg, will you get off the goddamned computer and come tell me I look beautiful?"

He didn't answer. Maybe she'd ignore him.

He should have known by now that that didn't work anymore. Bumblebee stormed into the room, wearing a gorgeous butter-yellow evening gown and looking positively pissed. "Are you forgetting about the gala that we have, like, now?"

"Sorry, just a second," Cyborg muttered, punching data into a computer.

"The president of the company can't be late to the company's gala. And besides, I look too damn good to stay in tonight."

"Bee, honey, you look amazing. Just five more minutes, please?"

"Hell no! You are a grown ass man, and play time on the computer is over!" When he didn't answer, she stomped over in her high heels. "What are you looking at, anyway?"

"No, Bee – "

But she'd already seen the plans up on his computer – grids and electronic security measures for a tall building shaped like a 'T'.

"GODDAMN IT, CYBORG! I told you to stop messing with Titans Tower!"

"I gotta keep the security tight so punks don't swim out there and go messing with it!"

"No, you wanna go snooping around back there, reliving the glory days!"

"And so what if I do?"

For the first time, Bumblebee was silent. And Cyborg looked out the window like a whipped puppy.

"Look, babe," she said, "I know, okay? And don't think I missed you going out and blasting off some sonic cannons in the basement last night. I'm still not sure why you think we can't hear those things."

He cringed. She knelt down beside where he was sitting, her beautiful eyes locking hold of his.

"And I miss it too. I really do. Especially since you and I are visible, we get more people asking us about our past lives than if we didn't have wings or titanium body-armor. Life just isn't the same without the Titans."

She took a pause and then plowed on. "But you have got to let it go, babe. It's not doing anybody any good to have you here moping about the past and sneaking into the Tower on the weekends."

He had no answer to that. To avoid looking her in the eyes, he stood up and went to go get dressed for the ball. Bumblebee followed and stood by silently as he put on his specifically fitted tuxedo, fuming silently at the mirror.

"When the city needs them," Bumblebee said suddenly, "they'll come back. Don't you worry about that."

This made Cyborg pause and look up in the mirror. His old yellow communicator was sitting by his bottle of cologne.

When Jump City needed them, they'd come back. He'd have to believe in that for now.

* * *

The man sprinted at Starfire with a chair over his head, face twisted in rage, muscles tensed as he prepared to slam her into the ground.

_Cute._

Without breaking a sweat, she kicked the chair out of his hands, sending him spinning, and then threw him to the ground and pulled his arms behind his back, making him scream.

The crowd roared. The referee ran forward and began to count.

"One – Two – "

Pesky fucker managed to kick Starfire in the ass and send her stumbling forward. As she twisted around, looking him in the eye, he was picking up the chair again.

"Seriously?" She called out.

This guy was a damned idiot. Six-six with hair like a Nazi. He flexed his muscles at the skinny girl in booty shorts and tall purple boots.

"You're goin' down, girlie," he growled.

She sighed. "Alright, bring it, asshole."

The crowd screamed in approval, voices echoing around the low, dark room. Nazi flexed his muscles for the crowd, and then ran forward with the chair again.

Starfire was over it. Just as the chair came towards her head, she casually stretched out her fist and broke through the metal of the chair. As he froze, she easily slipped the punched-out chair off her arm and swung it with all the force in her body at his face.

He went flying backwards into the crowd.

"We have a winner!" The referee yelled into the microphone, running forward to raise Starfire's right hand into the air. "Give it up for Firestar! Two months our undefeated champion!"

The crowd kept screaming. Neon signs reading 'Firestar' bobbed up and down. She gave her dirtiest smile to the crowd. Down here, she was a celebrity. The difference in feelings between here and her sickeningly posh modeling agency was electrifying.

Then she felt a rush of dark energy.

She immediately turned to the dark southwest corridor, the one place in the underground wrestling arena where she didn't go. There, a pair of purple eyes watched her for a brief moment before disappearing. And Starfire again felt the goosebumps of dark energy. A black wind wove through the arena, and she knew she was the only one who felt it.

She broke free of the announcer and leapt out of the arena. Running like she hadn't run in years, she wove through the crowd until she reached the southwest corridor. The old transvestite prostitute who ran that corridor raised an eyebrow at her, but Starfire pushed her way through.

A small girl wearing knee-high boots was walking away from her, down the dimly lit underground passageway.

Not entirely sure what was happening, her head still spinning, Starfire cried out in a half-desperate voice,

"Raven?"

The girl froze.

_What_?

Starfire couldn't tell anything from the girl's back. But she knew the dark energy that was curling around her ankles.

Still hesitant – if it _was_ her, she hadn't seen her in years – she said, "Raven? It's me."

The girl still didn't move. There were black tattoos of thorny vines wrapped around her hips.

Starting to doubt herself, Starfire finally said, "Please?"

Slowly, in the strange light, the girl turned around. Starfire stifled a gasp. It was Raven. She would have recognized those purple eyes anywhere.

But that was about all that she recognized.

Raven's pale skin glowed through fishnet tights and knee-high boots. A long-sleeved, meshy top barely covered her breasts, showing a flat tummy with a glittering naval ring and those strange black tattoos. Her purple hair now reached to her chest and was streaked with black. She couldn't change her eyes, but now her face was painted with thick eyeliner and bright red lipstick. She stared Starfire right in the eyes.

Neither girl spoke. But Starfire was strangely elated. Even now with Raven looking like a completely different person, for the first time in years, Starfire finally felt like she was looking at someone who truly knew her.

"It's been a long time, Star," she said in a quiet voice.

"Raven – " she couldn't even hide the panic in her voice, "what happened to you?"

Raven pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Are you alright?"

She shrugged.

"What are you doing down here, then?"

"I could ask the same of you."

Now it was Starfire's turn to purse her lips. "I've got a real life now. Can't blast villains. I have to expend my energy somewhere."

Raven nodded like she understood. Of course she understood.

"Is that why you're here?"

"No, Star. I'm here to work."

"What do you mean?"

Raven said nothing, her eyes straining, hoping for something. Starfire looked her up and down – ripped tights, short skirt, high boots. Neon bra glowing through her shirt. A thick wad of cash stuffed in the top of her boot.

"Oh, please, God, Raven, no."

Raven couldn't take it, looked at the floor and shook her head. "I gotta eat, Starfire."

"There are other – "

"I'm not like you. Some of us didn't adjust so well to the real world."

"There's always another way, honey. Come stay with me. We'll figure this out."

Starfire reached forward and took hold of Raven's arm, but Raven hissed and winced. Before she could protest, Starfire reached down and pulled up Raven's long sleeves. This time, she couldn't stop the gasp.

Her entire arm was dying. Infected abscesses from IV drug use snaked up and down her arm, small angry circles that just screamed out in pain. Closer to her wrists there were years' worth of cuts, methodical and precise, layering on top of each other until there was nothing but scar tissue. Starfire looked up into Raven's purple eyes and found them rimmed with tears.

"I'm sorry, Star," she murmured. "It was the only way left to make it go away."

Starfire didn't ask what 'it' was. She wasn't even sure that Raven knew the answer. Neither of them wanted to hear it spoken aloud. Raven pulled her sleeve back down with eyes on the floor.

"Will you please come home with me?" Starfire asked. "At least so we can talk?"

"I've got customers waiting."

Starfire's heart dropped. Was Raven really going to leave her like this? The sight of her infected, damaged arm was going to haunt her.

"Will you be here next week?"

Starfire's head shot back up. "Yes. Yes, I'll be here."

Raven nodded, arms wrapped around herself. "What are they calling you now?"

"Down here I'm Firestar. But at my job, I'm Kori Anderson."

This actually provoked a smile from Raven. "Like Koriand'r. I like it."

"What about you?"

"Just ask for Rachel. They'll know where to find me."

Throwing a last glance over her shoulder, Raven walked back into the darkness, walking in those heeled boots like she'd been doing it for years. She probably had.

Starfire was left looking into the darkness, feeling like the most miserable failure of a friend ever.

* * *

**Oy vey! Hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think - press that pretty purple-blue button! Thanks a ton :) - PVB**


	4. Getting the Girl

**Chapter Four – Getting the Girl**

* * *

"But, you know, the thing about the ears is that women tend to think that they're just for show. I had a girlfriend – way back in the day – who decided to try and pierce one of them when I was sleeping. When I woke up, cause I've got a goddamn pin going through my ear, she said she thought it would just so 'cool' if I had a little hoop going through one of them…I'm sorry, _what_?"

The crowd laughed at his exasperated expression. Beast Boy felt the thrill in his bones at his final joke and prepared to wrap up.

"First, I'm pretty sure that a five-five green kid would not have his popularity increased by a gold earring. Do I look like a damn pirate? Second, I should point out that this girl might have actually had something wrong with her. She had not one, but _two_ tongue piercings, which was very strange making out, let me tell you. And finally, hadn't she ever heard of 'animal hearing'?"

And he transformed into a bat and fluttered around the stage. A few older ladies stifled gasps, but most of them laughed and pointed.

He transformed back. "Pretty stupid looking bat with an earring, huh?" As the crowd continued laughing, he gave a huge grin and raised his hand.

"That's all for tonight! Thank you folks, you've been an attractive audience! Thank you for making a thirteen-year-old green kid's dreams come true!"

The laughing and clapping continued. A group of people in the crowd took up the chant 'Encore, Encore!' But he just waved his hand and disappeared backstage. There was only so much making fun of himself that he could do in one night.

Immediately someone handed him a water bottle, and the stage manager clapped him on the back. "Very nice, Mr. Logan."

He took a huge gulp of the water and then said, "Oh, please. Mr. Logan is my father. Anything else I can do for you guys tonight?"

"No, sir, you're all done. The green room is around the corner, you can go and chill out."

Beast Boy smiled and headed down the hallway. A plethora of young, pretty tech girls came out of various places and told him how good he'd done. He just flashed his fanged smile and kept walking. Outside of the green room, a tall redhead was fixing a soundboard with her back to him.

"I imagine you've had a lot of girlfriends in your life," she said.

"It comes with the job description, my dear."

Something about that voice…

The girl turned around and hit him with big green eyes. Beast Boy froze.

"I bet none of them have ever called you a _klorbag_," Starfire said with a smile.

* * *

Beast Boy called the stage manager and told her he needed the green room for another hour, it was an emergency. The stage manager, who probably had a crush on him, immediately said yes, which was good. Two Titans out at a bar together might attract attention.

As soon as they were alone, Beast Boy transformed into a kitten and leapt into Starfire's arms. She laughed as she snuggled with him. Suddenly Beast Boy's heart was racing. Starfire was here? How could she be here? This didn't make any sense! If she was here, did that mean that somewhere…maybe…

No; that was too much to hope for.

Instead he concentrated on the big smiling green eyes in front of him. "Star, what are you doing here?"

"You've got a good publicist," she said as they sat down in front of the mirrored wall. "They advertised all over my work. I knew about this a week ago."

"Where do you work?"

"I'm a model, actually." Her eyes darted to the side, for some reason avoiding his. "Commercials and stuff."

He remembered seeing her face, shining and sunny, on shampoo commercials. "That's great, Star! Sounds like you're doing good."

She made a small sound in the back of her throat, but turned back to Beast Boy with a smile. "Yeah, but how about you? You're a comedian now! That's incredible."

Her accent kept throwing him off. She knew how to speak proper English now. It gave him a strange twinge for her old, confused Tamaranian dialect. "Yeah, I know, it's crazy. I write for television too."

"No way! What?"

"I don't know if you've heard of it…it's called _Animal Instincts_?"

"Oh, my God!" Her eyes widened in recognition. "I love that show! About the veterinarian's office? That's one of the highest rated shows on prime time right now."

He couldn't help a little smile. "It's fun to work on."

Starfire let out a laugh. "I'm so proud of you, Beast Boy. Looks like the two of us have done well after the Titans broke up."

He laughed too as the room took a sad turn. It had been fun pretending that they were just old friends catching up. They both knew that they were superheroes with a past that they'd sometimes rather forget. Seeing Starfire again had brought a strange tightness to his chest, like a child's hand was squeezing his heart just a little too tight.

Perhaps it was the look on his face that made Starfire lean forward and touch his knee. "There's another reason I came to see you."

The tone of her voice made him snap his head up.

"I found her."

_No._

Why was Starfire's face so closed? Why was there no joy in her voice? Beast Boy stared at her, petrified for her response. She'd actually found her? Then why wasn't she happy? Was something wrong?

Starfire took his silence for misunderstanding, and clarified with a soft voice, "I found Raven."

That name hit him like a pile of bricks.

"Where is she?" He gasped.

Starfire pursed her lips.

"Oh, God, Star, tell me she's okay."

"She's not dead," Starfire said.

_That's a bad way to start._

"I found her in a wrestling ring." When Beast Boy raised an eyebrow, she quickly backtracked. "I wrestle on the weekends. It's the best way to expend my energy. Keeps starbolts from shooting off at work and stuff. Anyway, the last time I was there, I felt her spirit. So I went to find her, and she was there."

"What was she doing at a wrestling ring?"

Now Starfire pulled her lips in, pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "She was working as a prostitute," she finally said.

_Oh, God. No. Anything but that._

"And she was…she had…" Starfire struggled to find the words, "all these infections on her arm…I didn't really understand…"

Oh, God, Starfire didn't know. But Beast Boy did, and his stomach dropped. "Like she'd been doing drugs, you mean?"

"I think so," she whispered.

He dropped his head into his hands and listened to the beating of his own heart for a few minutes. His Raven. Working as a prostitute. Doing drugs. Not his Raven.

The only girl he would ever love.

"Where is she?" He asked.

At least Starfire didn't try and hold back. "It's in the old Jack's Tire Shop downtown. At the corner of Nester and 70th. Just give the bouncer five bucks and tell him Firestar sent you and they'll let you right in." She paused. "You're going after her?"

"I have to."

"She didn't seem like she wanted us to know."

"Of course she wouldn't. But maybe I can get through to her. I have to see her at least. You know."

For the span of a heartbeat, Starfire nodded with a flicker deep in her eyes that said she knew all about it. He was just about to ask her where Robin was – he honestly had no idea – but then she jumped in,

"When you find her, tell her I love her, okay? And call me." She went in her purse and fished out a business card. "I really think we've got to do something."

"I agree." He stood up and hugged her. "Star, thank you so much. For seeing me, for telling me about this. I really have missed you."

"Me too." She gave him that winning smile, a thousand years written in her supernatural eyes. "Life isn't the same without you."

Without even thinking, he blurted out, "We should find the others. All of the Titans. Even if it's just for drinks or something."

Starfire blinked a few times, and then shook her head with a sad smile.

"Call me when you find Raven."

She picked up her purse and walked out. Beast Boy watched her go with raw eyes, wondering what had happened to make innocent Starfire so jaded, and the second the door slammed shut behind her he let the building tears fall. The soft moonlight from the one small window comforted him.

Not Raven. He had failed her. How could she? How could he? How could their lives end like this?

This wasn't the end. He shook his head. This wasn't the end.

He still had a shot at the girl.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading, everybody! Please tell me what you think :) Next time on 'Save Me, Jump City', we take a look at Robin and Starfire! Ciao - PVB**


	5. Beauty and the Bar

**Chapter Five – Beauty and the Bar**

* * *

Some things about human life had never made sense to Starfire. The girls she modeled with barely ate and chain-smoked the entire damn day, shunning the big carb-filled meals that Starfire ingested three times a day. But every Friday night, without fail, all of them went to bars and drank down 2,000 calories worth of girlie shots and margaritas. She didn't get it, but she went with them every week anyway. She supposed they were her friends now.

From the first, Starfire wasn't feeling herself that night. Her conversation with Beast Boy replayed in her head like a movie script, interspersed with pictures of Raven's infected arms and vacant eyes. She sat on the bar, the pounding music and giggling of her coworkers filtering in and out of her brain as she drank down martini after martini, chasing that elusive buzz. As an alien calories had no impact on her, but that also meant that she had the alcohol tolerance of a three-hundred pound Irish factory worker. The only time she'd ever been drunk was after 25 shots on her twenty-first birthday. She figured it'd take at least ten tonight to get her buzzed, so she'd better start now.

Eventually the girls got bored just sitting at the bar, and one of them called to her, "Kori! Come meet us back at Cici,'s there's gonna be a rager!"

"I'll be there later!" She called back. As her friends giggled their way out of the bar, Starfire leaned onto the bar, finished her martini, and thought that maybe a little quiet would do her well.

"Kori? Is that what they're calling you these days?"

She turned to the voice and gave a crooked smile. "Well. If it isn't the Boy Wonder."

"Hey, Star."

What was he doing here?

The police officer's uniform looked good on him. The pounding bass drowned out all other thoughts. Robin walked over and sat beside her.

She turned to the bartender. "Lee? I'm gonna need another."

"Put it on my tab," Robin called out.

"Oh, please. Don't try to be chivalrous after ten years."

"Can't a friend buy another friend a drink?" He was shocked. Her accent was completely gone. She sounded like she'd lived in Jump City her whole life.

She snorted and drank her martini. "We were friends, once. A long time ago. Now, let's just keep it cordial."

"What is up with you, Starfire?"

"Don't call me that," she hissed. "I'm trying to lay low here, okay? Superheroes don't become supermodels."

"You're a supermodel?"

"Girl's gotta make a living somehow."

Her voice was cold, unfamiliar. "The city's changed you."

"And apparently it hasn't changed you. Still chasing the bad guys, huh, Officer Grayson?"

He looked down and saw that he wasn't wearing his nametag. "How do you know my last name?"

"Once upon a time, I thought I was gonna marry you."

The music throbbed in Robin's ears. Her green eyes were so, so cold. She sipped her martini, leaned back on her chair, flashed those long legs like she didn't know him at all. Like she didn't used to be the strongest, bravest superheroine in the country. Like she was just another rich city girl.

"And now?"

"Now?" She laughed. "Now I'm a model. I've got a social life. I've got a high rise on 18th street and a boyfriend waiting for me."

She stood up as Robin's heart dropped to his feet. _Boyfriend_?

Like a dream, she walked slowly towards him, auburn hair falling over one eye. She leaned down towards his ear and the smell of her perfume overwhelmed him.

"Ten years ago, you told me you wanted us to just be friends." Her whispered voice made him shiver. "I moved on, Robin. Looks like you haven't."

Memories of that conversation resurfaced, and he had never regretted anything more.

She stood back up, winked and walked away. Her perfume left an enchanting trail behind her, and her hips swung beneath her short skirt. She walked out and Robin stayed seated at the bar.

It would be another ten minutes before feeling came back in his legs and he was able to finally leave.

* * *

**Hi guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews :) I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but there's plenty of RobStar later in the story, and I can't give it all away now! Next chapter - BB and Raven finally meet up...and maybe we'll see why this story is rated M...love you guys! - PVB**


	6. Poison Embrace

**Chapter Six – Poison Embrace**

* * *

On Saturday night, Beast Boy put on his best slacks and a new leather jacket. Pocketing several hundred dollars in cash and ignoring the tripped-out, electrified beating of his overworked heart, he transformed into an eagle and flew downtown to the corner of Nester and 70th. A gigantic old building painted the color of a blister loomed large, a broken sign displaying 'Jack's Tire Shop'.

He transformed back into a human a block away and approached the bouncer with his collar turned up against the cold. The bouncer was a skinny rocker with a lip ring, but Beast Boy handed him some cash and said,

"I'm here with Firestar."

He nodded and opened up the door. Beast Boy slid inside the darkness.

Following Starfire's instructions, he walked right past the cheering and screaming of the wrestling ring and to the southwest corridor. He almost choked on the weed underneath the ring. But through the cloud of smoke, an older hooker wearing a trench coat narrowed her eyes at him.

"What you after?"

"I'm after Rachel."

Now the hooker raised her eyebrows and looked him up and down.

"She's dirty. You sure?"

"I want her."

The hooker tossed her head down the hallway. "All the way down."

Beast Boy nodded and began the long walk. As the sound of the wrestling match above him slowly faded, the lights faded as well until the darkness of the hallway became punctuated only by flickering lightbulbs on the ceiling. Under each lightbulb was a hooker, wearing increasingly depraved outfits. As he went going, ignoring eye contact, he eventually came upon men, shirtless, wearing chaps. He punched his hands in his jacket and kept walking.

Finally he came to the last lightbulb. The wall ended in brick before him. He looked around. Where was she?

"You've come a long way to get here."

Her voice. He'd recognize that anywhere. But he still couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"So…what can I do for you tonight?"

"I'd like it all," he said, lowering his voice so she wouldn't recognize him.

"Gonna cost you."

"I heard you're the best."

She gave a low chuckle. "Well, for five hundred bucks, I can prove it to you."

"Can't I see what I'm paying for?"

Silence. Beast Boy felt like he was talking to the wall. The bricks were spray painted garishly purple. One of her favorite colors.

Then he heard the clack of high heels on the pavement. A small side door hidden to the side of the wall opened up. And through the blackness, the woman he loved stepped out.

A black lacy corset pushed up her breasts, made them look more gigantic than possible. Black fingerless gloves covered her forearms. Beneath a black miniskirt, showing off tattoos on her hips, her pale gray skin peeked out above knee-high boots. Her face looked like an angel out of hell, all curving black eyeliner and ruby-red lips. Her purple hair hung to her waist, streaked in the front with black.

In the span of a moment, she took in Beast Boy in front of her, and her face shifted from shock to a blank stare.

"What are you doing here," she whispered.

"Apparently this is the only way to see you anymore."

It felt so wrong. Under that lightbulb, Beast Boy in his slacks and jacket, Raven in her high heels, hands crossed in front of her chest. A whore and a writer. Once upon a time, they'd been two best friends. Two lovers.

"You gotta get out of here," she said.

"Why? I need to see you. Talk to you. And I heard this is the best place to find you."

"It's the only place to see me."

"Bullshit."

She pushed her lips together and glared at him. "I don't trick on the streets anymore."

"Not what Starfire said."

"She told you where I was?"

"She's worried about you."

"No need. I got it."

"She told me you've been smacking too."

Raven couldn't stop the reflexes, pulling in her wrists. "Look, get out of here. I've got customers."

"How do you do it, Raven? How do you look these men in the eyes?"

She couldn't look at him.

"Do you tell them it's as good as the first time? Because it's not. Do you remember? Our first night together. Out under the stars. You told me – "

"Jesus, B, stop it," she cried. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. "Either pay or get out of here."

He pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and handed it over to her.

She counted it out and then stuffed it in her bra. Under the flickering light, she turned and walked towards the door. "Let's go."

He followed her swinging hips. He had been the first man to ever hold them.

Through the door and down the hall was a small private room, draped in shades of black and blue. Raven closed and locked the door behind her as Beast Boy observed the neatly arranged collection of drugs, alcohol and S&M tools around the room.

"Jesus, Rae," he whispered, "what do you do?"

"What I have to."

Her back to him, she stood in front of the mirror, lighting up a cigarette. The smoke covered her eyes.

"What kind of people come to you?"

"The worst."

"That woman…out front…she was your madam?"

Silence. "In a sense."

"Why does she save the worst for you?"

In the mirror, her eyeliner rimmed eyes stared him down.

"Cause I'm the only one who can handle the pain."

Who was this woman? Beast Boy didn't even know her.

Raven turned around and tamped out her cigarette. "So, you paid for me. What do you want?"

Suddenly he was challenged. He stepped up to her.

"I want you to fuck my brains out like a good whore."

She didn't even flinch at the way he spat out the word 'whore'. Instead, she pushed him back onto the bed with one hand and stood above him, her eyes cold as she reached back to unlace her corset.

"Better bring out the animal, green bean. This one's gonna burn."

He growled, his fingers already at his zipper. Raven lunged on top of him and almost attacked him with her mouth.

The next twenty minutes passed in a sweaty, angry blur. They pushed each other to the brink, trying to make the other shatter. With all of his animal instincts, he pounded into her, as deep as he could, waiting to see when she would break.

She didn't. She held on like a professional sex worker. She dug her fingers into his back and rode him out. And when he finally couldn't hold off his orgasm anymore, she felt him tremble and managed to flip him over. He came while she was on top, driving into him with a victorious smirk on her face. Fingers like vices held him down on the bed.

Afterwards, he had never felt so humiliated or satisfied in his entire life.

She struck up another cigarette once they were lying on the bed. Side by side, looking up at the ceiling. Except for the smoke and the undefinable animosity she held for him, it was almost exactly what they had done after their first night together.

His eyes roved down her naked body. She had a whole host of tattoos that he'd never seen before. Around her hips were black thorny vines. And he'd caught a glimpse of a huge tattoo of a raven on her back. She hadn't taken off her gloves or stockings the entire time.

"Trying to hide your dad's scars?"

"Oh, God." She took a drag. "Don't try and reach out to me with stories of my fucked-up childhood."

"There is no one in the world who knows you like I do."

"Even now?"

He looked over at her eyes, smudged with eyeliner. The cigarette stained on the very edges with red lipstick, like a watercolor painting.

"Even now," he replied.

And for the first time, he saw a flicker of humanity in those purple eyes. Some sort of recognition for what they used to have. Who they used to be.

"Let me see your arms."

"Nothing to see."

"Starfire already told me."

"Fucking aliens," she muttered.

"Don't blame her. She's worried sick."

"Since when have you been talking to her?"

"She was the one who found me. Told me where you were."

She exhaled smoke, letting it drift through her lips.

"Star's doing good," she said in a soft voice.

"Yeah, she is."

He watched her lips move around, unsure of whether to talk or to take another drag.

"I'm a writer now. For comedy shows."

"Someone finds your jokes funny?"

"Statistically, someone had to."

She actually smiled. Her painted lips cracked open into a smile. But as soon as it happened, as soon as Beast Boy started to celebrate, Raven stood up and walked away again, standing naked in front of the mirror.

"I can't, B. I can't."

"This is about your powers, right? Keeping them under control?"

"Of course that's it."

He looked at the tiny bags of heroin on the bedside counter and knew she was lying. But there was nothing to be gained from pushing her.

"Look, Rae – "

"Don't. Don't call me that."

"It's your name."

"Not anymore."

"Listen, just come with me – "

"Oh, so you can fucking save me?" She shook her head, long hair swinging. "I chose this."

"You chose to drug yourself and trade sex for money? Bullshit."

"Yeah, and what the _fuck_ else was I supposed to do?"

Suddenly she was facing him, giving him everything, hiding nothing, all of her body that he had once known so well and was now so foreign, tattoos and piercings covering the smooth pale surface. He looked at her face and saw that her eyes were as dead as they had been when he'd first met her.

"Use my dark magic in a real job? Try to go out as a half-demon enchantress and get employed, get a life? Azarath is no more. I have nowhere else to go."

Her eyes flitted around the room, looking at everything. A vicious looking ball gag on the wall stared at both of them.

"I had to make it go away."

She clutched her wrists tightly, pulled them into her chest.

And that one moment of weakness was enough for him. He walked up behind her and placed his hands around her waist. "Oh, Raven – "

She shuddered, sending waves of dark energy that froze him. They were caught together, one momentary poisonous embrace.

And then she stepped forward, shoulders hunched, pressing her forehead against the mirror. He waited. He would wait forever for her.

When she finally turned around, she was barely keeping it together. But she'd always been good at lying. "Please, you have to go."

"I'm not leaving without you."

"B, don't you understand?" Her voice cracked. "I never leave. Not really. You have got to get out while you've got a chance."

Fear gripped his chest.

"Please, for me, just get out of here," she said.

At that moment he could tell she was serious. Naked, arms wrapped around herself, she was showing him her life, and asking him to leave. It was one of the noblest things she'd ever done.

"I'll leave tonight," he said. "But I'm coming back for you, Raven."

She said nothing. God, he just wanted to see her smile again.

He placed a very gentle kiss on her forehead, which made her freeze again. Then, so as not to scare her, he morphed back into a hawk and flew out the door, through the wrestling ring and back into the night, where his deep green wings blended in with the indigo sky.

* * *

**Hi friends! Thanks so much for all of the reviews, I feel so lucky! Hope you enjoyed the citrus, I promise there's gonna be more and longer but I can't give it all away now :) Tell me what you think! Thank you - PVB**


	7. City Streets

**Chapter Seven – City Streets**

* * *

The next night, Raven called in sick to her madam, said she had a sore throat. The old transvestite just snorted and told Raven it was her money she wasn't making. Raven hung up and thought that as much as she loved the no-bullshit method of doing business at the wrestling ring, sometimes it just plain sucked to be told that they didn't need her.

Instead, she dug out an old outfit from the back of her dirty closet. The tight black skirt and sliced up purple top smelled like cigarettes and latex. She suited up in her usual black heels, and then added her old black trench coat. Carrying a handful of condoms and her key, she stepped out into the night and began the walk to Promise Boulevard.

Jump City was alive tonight. The street rattled from the careening traffic, made her shudder in her tall boots. Neon lights gave her gray skin a supernatural glow. The chatter of drunk college kids, the pervasive smell of marijuana and tobacco, a million sweaty bodies giving shape to a city that was as damned as it was intoxicating –

Well, there's no place like home.

She passed the other street walkers when she turned down Promise Boulevard. They glared at each other and one of them even muttered 'fucking c-' in Raven's direction, but she wasn't afraid. They wouldn't mess with her.

Finally, Raven set up shop a few feet before the intersection of Promise and 69th, the best corner for sex in the entire city. Shooing away some rats with her toe, she leaned up against the old brick wall and lit up a cigarette. With a flick of her wrist, she let her trench coat fall open, exposing her tattoos and long legs, and waited for her first customer.

Not ten minutes later, a small dark blue car drove up the avenue. Raven recognized him from a mile away and smirked. He cruised slowly, passing hooker after hooker, until finally he spotted Raven, and the car purred up before her.

The window rolled down, and a man's voice from inside said,

"You're back."

"Can't get away from the streets," she said. "What are you shopping for?"

"Can I get head?"

"You can get whatever you want, sugar. For that, it'll be 75, up front."

There was some rustling as he got his cash. She flicked her cigarette into the street and walked casually up to the window. The man reached over with a wad of cash, and with a quick count, Raven nodded to him and got in the car.

He started to cruise through the streets, and Raven peeked at him through her peripheral vision. He was middle-aged – most of them were – and clean-shaven. From what she remembered from this guy though, he wasn't a sure thing. She'd have to work at it.

"Where have you been? The other girls aren't as good as you."

"Well, if I wanted you to know, I wouldn't have left, would I?"

"Don't give me sass."

"I'm sorry." She turned and flashed him her winning smile. For some reason it had always been harder for her to act like she was into it when she was on the streets. "So when we gonna get down to the good stuff?"

"Right now." He pulled into a back parking lot and put the car in park. "I've been waiting for you, Scarlet."

Different men called her different things when she was on the streets. She wasn't even fazed by it any more. "Me too, baby. Me too."

She eased him back on the drivers' seat and let the seat down with one hand. A haze slipped over her brain, and she was grateful. This was what let her keep doing this. If she didn't realize what she was doing, it was easier.

But God, that didn't make it right. She had enough of a heart left to know that.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she gave him an acidic smile and bent down.

* * *

Deep beneath the Jump City harbor, where the deep sea water pressed down with enough pressure that no human being could survive, black gold surged through the earth.

He felt it in his bones. And it made him smile.

He traced it, racing with it, letting it pulse into his body, surfed and rolled all the way in to the city, where it coalesced, deep deep in the earth, underneath a strange island.

He flew out, looked at the island in the moonlight. There was an abandoned tower there. A tall tower shaped like a 'T'.

That would have to go.

Cain smiled and receded into the earth to plan his attack.

* * *

**Hello guys! Sorry if this seems like a filler chapter, but I figured it was time to introduce the villain of this story. Thanks so much for all the love - please tell me what you think! Your reviews are what make writing this worthwhile, and I love to hear from you. Next chapter - Raven and Starfire have a long-awaited conversation! - PVB**


	8. The Pact

**Hey friends! Sorry for the slightly later update than usual - my long-distance boyfriend was visiting from New York :) Anyway, I don't own Teen Titans, and enjoy!**

**Chapter Eight – The Pact**

* * *

Purple eyes haunted Starfire all day. She couldn't get Raven out of her mind. All throughout her photo shoot, her mind flashed to that dark corridor, those blistered arms. The photographer, who'd worked with her before, remarked that Starfire looked much darker, much more introverted than usual. It ended up working out fine, since she was doing a perfume shoot and the photographer was a brilliant artist who capitulated on her brooding mood and created a deeply involved photo shoot with Starfire posing in floor-length dark dresses, her hair falling heavy down her chest. Stella gave her a strange look when the shoot was over, but she wasn't in the mood for talking to her vapid manager. She sped-walked home, resolving to go back and see Raven either that night or the next.

The windows in her apartment were down when she arrived home that night. Immediately she crossed the room and pulled the curtains back. The twinkling of the stars outside gave her heart permission to beat again, knowing that there was a wide universe outside of Jump City. Not for the first time, she longed to fly.

"Kori!"

She turned to see her boyfriend, Gary, striding through the door. He hung his coat on the rack and turned to her with a beaming smile.

"How's my girl?"

"Good!" She walked over and planted a kiss on him. His hand moved automatically around her waist. "How was work?"

"Not bad. Lots of idiots today though. Sometimes, don't you just hate dealing with stupid people?"

She giggled. "Be nice, Gary."

"Sorry, hun." He walked over to the fridge and peered in. "I'm not as innocent as you are about this city. Lots of dumb people here, trust me. Also, where's the beer?"

"Oh, jeez, sorry," she said. "I totally forgot. Meant to pick some up after work."

"Well, couldn't you just have run back to the supermarket?"

"I only just got off work myself. We had a late shoot tonight."

He just stared at her. His mouth formed words like he had no idea what to say to this.

"Listen, I'll just go get some tomorrow – "

"No, it's fine, baby." He bent down over her and smiled. "I'd rather keep my mouth clean to kiss you."

As he kissed her, he picked her up off her feet and led her to the couch. She smiled as she continued kissing. It was so damn cute how he thought he was strong.

"Light as a feather, darling."

"121 pounds of pure muscle."

"Don't they have a problem with all of that muscle at the shoots?"

"Means I'm not stick thin like the other models out there. Gucci's been looking for some more realistic models this year, I had an interview with them so hopefully they'll be calling back soon."

"That's amazing." His voice was so soft. "I'm so proud of you, Kori."

She looked him in the eyes and gave him a kiss. "Thanks, hun. Wanna watch a movie tonight and cuddle?"

"Of course, babe!" He laid down over her on the couch, his warm weight pressing against her breasts. His hand slid in between her legs and teasingly stroked her inner thigh, making her freeze. "Especially since movies always lead to a little somethin-somethin…"

"Actually, Gary, I'm not really in the mood tonight. Can't we just cuddle?" She held his wrist and pulled out his hand.

"What do you mean 'you're not in the mood'?"

"Some of us aren't horny 24/7," she chuckled.

He sighed, kissed her forehead and then sat back up. "Well, if we're not gonna have sex, then I get to pick the movie."

"That's not how it works…"

"Oh, don't worry, Kori. Daddy's got you." He cocked this sassy grin at her, making the dimples in his cheeks pucker.

A spark flickered up in her heart.

"On second thought, I'm going out."

"What?" He sat straight up. But Starfire was already up and in the bedroom getting changed. "Kori, where are you going?"

"Out with the girls."

"Since when?"

"Since now." She laced up some tall black boots and ran some mousse through her long hair. Gary walked in as she was tracing brown eyeliner around her glowing eyes.

"Hun, are you mad?"

"No. I'm going out."

"Why are your eyes looking so freaky?"

_Oh, shit. _She closed her eyes, concentrated, and then turned to him with a smile. "What do you mean, looking freaky?"

"Oh." He struggled to process. "Okay. Well, you should stay in with me."

She grabbed her purse and walked right past him. "I'll be back late. Don't wait up for me."

"Kori, what the fuck – "

The door slammed shut.

* * *

When Starfire arrived, the cold had made goosebumps rise over her skin and she'd ran so fast – it was the closest she could come to flying – that her hair was one giant flaming lion's mane, tumbling over her shoulders and down her back. She stormed past the transvestite hooker and down the hall, blazing in her fury, and ripped open the last door at the hall.

A skinny teenaged boy was holding a disgruntled Raven by the hips, preparing to kiss her. They both whipped around to face Starfire.

"You." She pointed to him. "Out."

"What?"

"NOW."

He zipped up his pants like they were on fire and sprinted out of the room. Once he was gone, Starfire slammed the door and turned to face Raven, who just looked confused.

For a moment they both hung there, Starfire's panting breaths filling the silence. Tonight, Raven was wearing a red baby doll dress, her hair in two long braids down her front, with tall black heels.

"Starfire…" she said slowly, "are you okay?"

_Okay_?

And without thinking, Starfire blurted, "My boyfriend is an ass sometimes!"

Raven blinked.

And then Starfire felt like the ass. She was seriously complaining to her old best friend, a physically and emotionally traumatized empath who was addicted to drugs and currently making a living as a prostitute, about her _boy problems_?

Oh, Jesus.

But shockingly, Raven gave a quiet little smile. "Wanna talk about it?"

Starfire felt herself relaxing, a smile pushing up her lips too. In the dark room, surrounded by whips and drugs, suddenly it felt like a girl's sleepover again. Just two best friends.

Raven sat down on the bed and patted beside her. Starfire gingerly stepped over and sat down, and before Raven could say anything Starfire was off to the races, venting and venting about her life. She skipped the part about her and Robin, since it made anger and bitterness well up in her mouth until it tasted like she'd swallowed vinegar, but instead she went on and on about her shitty model life and the annoying way that Gary treated her like a child and how much she _fucking missed_ flying and how everything was just so much easier when she could blast her enemies to smithereens instead of having to play by the bitchy girl rules that dominated her work place and was it too much to ask for Gary to eat her out sometimes, I mean, Jesus Christ!

And somewhere in all of that the two of them had ended up laughing, falling back down on the bed, warm body pressed against warm body, giggling. Raven's voice had a deeper rasp than before, but other than that…Starfire allowed herself to smile and say,

"It's just like old times."

Raven turned to her with those expressive purple eyes and sighed. "I missed you, Star."

"I missed you too, Rae."

Those purple eyes were so, so tired.

"Beast Boy came to see me."

Starfire started. But she knew she couldn't visibly react. That might scare Raven away. "Yeah?"

"He said you went and told him where I was."

Oh, God, was she mad?

"Raven…"

She sat up and rubbed her face tiredly. "I don't know why you're trying, Star."

She didn't know what to say. Starfire sat up two, and then the two of them sat on the edge of the bed, feet not touching the floor, just like schoolchildren.

"I can't accept that this is it," Starfire said. "There's got to be more."

"I tried waiting for it," Raven replied, wrapping her arms around herself. "Maybe it's still out there. I don't know. I can't just sit here and let life fuck me over. I had to do something."

"This wasn't supposed to be it."

"And what about you?" Raven turned to her. "What about Robin?"

Starfire's breath caught at the sound of that name, and Raven smirked. "That's what I thought."

"What about him? Whatever we had died years and years ago. He said he wasn't interested."

"Starfire," she said softly, "he lied."

Starfire's heart stopped.

Ten years of her life were suddenly erased, and she was a giddy sixteen-year-old once again. He had _lied_? Her heart had been longing for those words for so damned long.

But she shut it down. "And what did you do with Beast Boy? I can't imagine you just opened your heart and let him in."

Raven pursed her lips and looked at the ceiling. "No," she said, "but I did fuck him."

"What?" She gasped.

Raven smirked. "I am a sex worker, Star."

"No, but the first time you see him for years and the only thing you can think to do is pick _then_ to have sex with him for the first time?"

"Oh, jeez…Starfire, that wasn't our first time together."

Suddenly the last year that the Titans had spent together at the Tower made so much more sense.

"Oh" was all Starfire could say.

"Why are you surprised? You and Robin…"

Starfire shook her head. And then 'oh' was all Raven could say. Starfire clicked her heels against the base of the bed, like a child.

"I guess a lot has changed," Raven said simply.

"Or maybe some things never change," Starfire replied.

The ball gag in the corner stared the two girls down.

"You need to see Beast Boy again," Starfire said, suddenly tired of beating around the bush. "You just need to."

"Well, you need to see Robin again."

"_Fuck_ no."

"I'll see Beast Boy if you see Robin," Raven snapped.

"You just want to fuck him again."

"You just want to fuck Robin, _period_."

Starfire couldn't argue. But Raven suddenly was sitting up in bed, her eyes more alive than they'd been in a while.

"Star, I'll do it. I'll see Beast Boy if you see Robin."

"I don't want to see Robin."

"Bullshit."

"I don't even know where he is."

"He's a police officer, he's not hard to find."

Starfire found her will to argue suddenly fading. "And you promise you'll see Beast Boy?"

"I can find him pretty easily. I promise."

Her last meeting with Robin still stung, but the thought of Raven seeing Beast Boy again was the perfect balm. "Okay. Deal. I see Robin by the end of the week, and you see BB."

Raven grinned and reached over to shake Star's hand.

"It's a deal."

* * *

**So I hope you all enjoyed! Thanks for sticking with the story, I promise the main plotline is picking up real soon. Please review and tell me what you think! The reviews really help me to know what you guys want from the story, so they're very helpful to me :) The next chapter is my favorite so far, so stick around and I'll see you soon! Love and starbolts - PVB**


	9. Fire Fire

**Hey lovers! So since the last chapter went up a little late, and I'm going to be flying across the country tonight and have no idea when I'll be able to post, I'm gonna post Ch. 9 early - woot woot! Please enjoy!**

**Chapter Nine – Fire Fire**

* * *

That night, Starfire spent an hour in the shower, obsessively shaving, plucking, shampooing. When she got out, she spent another hour in front of the mirror, making her hair more voluminous, shiny, sexy. Her face she painted, made her green eyes fairly smolder with glittering black eyeliner.

"You guys must be going somewhere fancy," Gary remarked, a sour note to his voice.

"You know supermodels," she replied. "It's a $300 dinner or nothing."

Lying to him had become so easy these days. And thankfully it was a good one. But Starfire slicked on her lipstick with an ulterior motive. She wore her shortest, sexiest skirt and a deep V-necked lace camisole. Her tall, tall purple heels made her legs go for miles. She had to know she looked sexy. It was her best card to play.

More than that, _he_ had to know she was sexy. Ten years ago, he'd told her there was nothing for them. Now, she was going to make him burn. Every muscle in his body was going to want her. And she was going to give him nothing.

She walked out into the city with the smile of a victorious champion.

But all of that changed when she got to his favorite bar.

And suddenly there he was, without even giving her time to prepare. He sat in a circle with a small group of police officers, laughing and talking. There were a few empty beer bottles and a plate of French fries in front of him. His stupid ass was actually _happy_.

He was _not_ allowed to be happy.

So she adjusted her bra and strode right up to him.

Starfire got the momentary satisfaction of watching his face slip behind the sunglasses as he took in her body. The other police officers were stunned into silence when she walked up. But he recovered with the cool composure of the ward of Bruce Wayne.

"Kori! So funny to see you. How you doing tonight?"

"Not too bad, Dick, not too bad. These your friends?"

The police officer next to Robin sent him a look that said he was the luckiest man alive to know this girl, but Robin paid no attention. Their last meeting had set them on edge. This was their game, and their game alone.

"Yes, they are. These are officers Bartley – "

Starfire zoned out after the first name. She only had eyes for Robin. After introductions and handshakes she pulled up a chair, ordered a hurricane, and prepared to play.

"So, how many men did you pull in today?"

"Actually, not too many men. Mostly women."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Good girls gone bad?"

"Bad girls gone worse. You probably wouldn't know about it."

"You have no idea what I know," she snapped.

Suddenly the police officers were interested. Their circle had gone quiet. Robin's eyebrows were pulled low.

"Something you shouldn't be talking about in front of a police officer?"

"Oh, come on, Dick, I'm a big girl. I've seen the dark side of Jump City. This place will pull you in and paint you black."

"So why the model façade?"

"Everyone loves a rebel."

"I don't." There he was again, the crime fighting man that she knew. "This isn't the you that I know. Either you follow the law or you don't. Either you're with me or against me."

"Oh, Dick." She leaned forward and sipped her hurricane. "That was always your problem. You never could see the gray."

Robin's lips formed a tight line and the circle leaned in a little more.

"You never could see the people who just wanted to live beside you," she whispered.

It was out. She felt dirty and clean all at once. She wished she could see his eyes, because his face stayed blank.

"Maybe you should go, Kori," he muttered.

She chuckled and stood up. Swinging her hips, she picked up her drink and went to sit at the bar. She pulled out her phone and immediately began to text people to look like she wasn't interested. In reality, her eyes stayed glued to Robin. The game wasn't over yet.

The police officers, reeling from the exchange, attempted to draw Robin back into a normal conversation. They called a few young waitresses over to bring them more beers. One of them, a tiny blonde teenager, took a liking to Robin. From the start she had her eyes glued to him and was touching his shoulder more than she should.

Starfire snorted and drowned the rest of her hurricane. Fucking little slut.

After a few more minutes of fake texting, she snuck another peek over the top of her phone. This time, the blonde girl was openly flirting. She had sat down beside him and had one hand on the top of his thigh. And Robin was letting her. He had a sly smirk on his face.

And then she reached up for his glasses, to take them off and see his eyes. Starfire absolutely froze.

She, Starfire, had never seen Robin's eyes in twelve plus years of friendship – and this blonde little skank was going to see his eyes within five minutes of meeting him?

Fire exploded in her veins.

Oh, _hell_ no.

Without thinking, she walked over and punched that little bitch in the face with her full Tamaranian strength.

Which meant she flew across the room and hit the jukebox with a gigantic _thud_.

A few people screamed. Everyone whipped around. A hundred pairs of eyes stared at Starfire, standing there with her fist still raised. Robin's mouth was actually hanging open.

Before anything else stupid could happen, Starfire grabbed his hand and sprinted out of the bar as fast as she could go.

The game was over. And Starfire had lost.

They ran for ten minutes until they were in central Jump City, the casual and middle-class part of town. Her heart was racing, her chest heaving. She finally stopped and refused to look at him. They were stopped at a white picket fence beside a small house.

Robin said nothing. Starfire sat there, her chest heaving, electricity shooting through her veins. How could she be so stupid?

She risked a glance at his face. That asshole had the biggest smile on his face she'd ever seen.

"Starfire – "

"_Shut up._"

"You were jealous." She could hear the smile in his voice from a mile away.

She finally turned around and looked at him, and she knew she'd lost. He had the cocky grin on his face that she had first fallen in love with. He'd won. She'd showed him her trump card, and now she had nothing else to play.

"You were jealous of that waitress," he said. His voice was so suave.

"Fuck you," she spat.

"You _miss_ me."

"I hate you."

"What about your boyfriend and high-rise on 18th street?"

"I'm going to punch you."

"Oh, Starfire, you still want – "

"Richard Grayson, do _not_ think I won't punch you in the face!"

The tone of her voice finally made him shut up. And then they were standing on a suburban street in the middle of the night, a single streetlamp lighting up their bodies.

All of the tables had turned. Now it was Robin with the power, grinning down at her. And Starfire was the victim, staring at him with the eyes of the sixteen-year-old alien she'd used to be. Once again, she was new on this planet. And just like before, it was this dark-haired man who knew all of the secrets.

She couldn't stand the silence anymore and finally muttered, "That wasn't how it was supposed to go."

"What exactly did you come here planning to do?"

"I came because of Raven."

"Raven?" His voice changed. "You know where she is?"

"She's a prostitute now, Robin."

"Oh, my God…"

"I found her on the south side in a wrestling ring. Anyway, we made a suicide pact that she would see Beast Boy if I came to see you."

"I haven't seen Beast Boy in years," Robin said, looking up at streetlamp. "I guess all we need now is Cyborg."

"From what I can tell, he's the only one who's life isn't a complete shitshow."

Robin gave a low chuckle and turned back to Starfire with a grin. "So, how does the suicide pact end? Is this the part where I take you home and make you fall in love with me again?"

_Oh, God! _Her vagina throbbed just thinking about it.

But she could still hold out. She had one card left to play. "Not so fast, kid. I've got a boyfriend now, remember?"

That didn't intimidate him. He smiled. "Tell me how long that lasts."

"Three years and going strong, asshole."

"Sure."

Oh, he was so good. That smile. That she could never really tell what he was thinking when she couldn't see his eyes didn't help. "You let me know when you're ready for me to save you."

The same spark of indignation that had flared against Gary roared back to life in her chest, and she stepped forward. For the first time Robin's face registered a hint of fear. She was a thousand times stronger than him. Unprepared as he was, this wouldn't even be a real fight.

"Listen to me, Robin, and listen good," she growled. "I'm not sixteen anymore. I don't need anyone to save me. And especially not you."

It struck both of them at the same time just how close their lips were as she was speaking.

Starfire reacted instantly. She closed her eyes and flew into the sky, for the first time in years feeling the pure joy of flying propelling her into the air and through the clouds. She flew far, far up, darting across town where no one could see her. As she flew, she shook her head frantically, trying to clear the troublesome thoughts out of her head.

Because the happy thought that was pushing her through the air was the image of her lips touching his.

* * *

**I know, I'm sorry, so much sexual tension! Well, this has been my favorite chapter so far - tell me what you guys think! I love you guys with all of my Teen-Titans-obsessed heart ;) Besitos - PVB**


	10. Subterra Incognita

**Chapter Ten – Subterra Incognita**

* * *

Silkie slobbered on Cyborg's face at five in the morning.

"What the fuck," he grunted, blinking. The small pink larvae gurgled at his face, clearly hungry.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Cyborg," Bumblebee muttered from beside him, "feed the damn worm."

Cyborg moaned and Silkie continued to bubble, sucking genially on Cyborg's ear. He picked up the little worm and walked sleepily into the kitchen. Still half-asleep, he went to the fridge and pulled out the giant tub of pink gorkaberries. Too tired to scoop any out into a bowl, he just dropped Silkie into the tub, and immediately came the contented sound of munching. Cyborg leaned up against the gleaming granite countertop.

Out of all the Titans, how the hell had he ended up with Silkie?

Years ago, back when it was first becoming clear that the Titans were no more, Starfire had obviously said she'd take her pet. But when The Great Whatever had happened between her and Robin – nine years later and Cyborg had no idea what the fight had actually been about – Starfire shot off into the sky and he never saw her again. Robin was gone pretty quickly afterwards, enrolling in the police academy as Dick Grayson. Raven and Beast Boy had held out longer, and at first they moved in together and took Silkie with them. Cyborg and Bee stayed in the Tower, keeping things together, but after a year, Beast Boy showed up on the doorstep of the tower with the most heartbroken eyes in the world and Silkie in his arms. In the shortest conversation of Cyborg's life, Beast Boy told him Raven was gone and he needed to take Silkie. Without fully understanding what had happened, Cyborg took Silkie and watched Beast Boy turn into a hawk and fly into the sky.

That was the last he'd seen of any of the Titans.

He sighed and reached down to pet Silkie. The little worm looked up and gurgled. Maybe that was why he'd never tried harder to get rid of the worm. Silkie was his last living link to the Titans.

Thank God Starfire had planted an entire garden of gorkaberries out back, so feeding Silkie had never been a problem. Cyborg peered into the bucket, saw that Silkie had devoured at least half of it, and gently pried the worm out. Time to make some more gorkaberry mash. Something was beeping in the background. Cyborg wiped off Silkie's bottom and let him slime his way around the kitchen to go take a nap.

But the beeping continued. Cyborg went to investigate.

Things beeped all the time in his and Bee's house. So it was normal for him to wander around for five minutes attempting to find the beeping in the dark. After a while, he found it was coming from his special computer in the corner. A small red 'T' was blinking on the screen.

He leaned over and frowned.

"Hey, Bee?"

She grunted.

"Bee, babe, can you come take a look at this?"

After a few minutes of angry shuffling, Bee walked out of the room, her weave off, wearing a long black bathrobe. "What is it?"

"Something's underneath the Tower."

Her eyes snapped to attention. "Titans Tower?"

He nodded and sat down. In the darkness, the two of them peered at the computer as Cyborg pulled up the files. His eyes shifted through the data on the screen.

"There's seismic activity…I can't quite tell what this means…"

"It can't be Terra…?"

"No, she's gone…if it was her, the sensors I placed on her grave would have gone off by now…this is something different."

Different numbers popped up on the screen, and Cyborg's brain worked to process. Heat sensors…tide activities…economic factors?

"It's oil," he finally realized. "It's a reservoir of oil, beneath the sea. Right below the Tower. And it's moving."

"Natural movements?"

"No, somebody is moving it. And I can't tell where. It's moving beneath the city. Like someone is gathering oil."

They stayed in silence for a moment. The clock in the corner ticked away. Cyborg, for the first time in his life, struggled to process something. Bumblebee's hand stayed on his shoulder.

"I don't get it," he said. "Who in the world has the power to control oil?"

* * *

**Hey fabulous people! So I'm so sorry, I know this seems like a filler chapter, but I promise it has a point! To make amends, I'm gonna post Ch. 11 tomorrow, and I promise it's more exciting. You guys are the best, I'm so lucky to have such a great fanbase! Please keep the love coming! THANK YOU - PVB**


	11. Savior

**As promised, here is Ch.11, early! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven – Savior**

* * *

As she stood on the top of her rooftop that night, Raven felt fear for the first time in years. Perhaps it was more important to say that she _felt_ for the first time in years. She stood with a cold breeze weaving through her long hair and the holes in her sweater, and she was afraid. How long had it been since she'd used her powers? More importantly, how long had it been since she'd been legitimately nervous to meet somebody?

Oh, God. Emotions were bad. She never thought she'd have to worry about emotions again. Eight years of fucking, blowing, sucking countless strangers – she thought that had killed her emotions like sixteen years on Azarath never had.

But one green-haired man suddenly brought it all welling up.

She shook her head and focused. Her cape would come in handy, but she wasn't prepared to wear that yet. Instead, she wore her old black sweater, a gray skirt and some hooker heels. They were the only shoes she really owned anymore.

With a deep breath, she pulled herself inward and found her reserves of magic, resting just below the surface of her skin, dark and swirling and toxically beautiful. With a sensual sigh, Raven let herself sink into her own magic, ever so slightly, just enough to let the sixth sense in her brain open up. With dark probing tendrils of magic, she searched the city for that green energy that she knew so well.

There he was, just getting home from work. His apartment was on 24th and Olive.

Now was the hard part. Raven, fear racing through her blood, let herself sink a little deeper, magic beginning to pulse within her heart. It had been _so damn long_ since she'd felt this release. Now came time for the emotions. Within her pulsing, swirling, black magic heart, she thought about Beast Boy's face and let those emotions slow her heart down.

In no time at all, she was sinking through the ground and transporting herself through the city. The black incandescent raven slipped through the streets, past the seething and churning heart of the city, up to the sleepy, well-lit neighborhood where Beast Boy's apartment complex rose up like a silver beacon. She slipped up the elevator shaft and finally materialized in front of apartment number 15.

Oh, no. Her fingers trembled like newly-hatched butterflies.

Before she lost her nerve, she knocked three times on the door.

After some shufflings, the door opened. Beast Boy stood in a white button down shirt, tie and slacks. The laces of his shoes were untied. Before he realized who she was, he looked for all the world like a twenty-somethings bachelor in the prime of his life, caught in a rare moment of masculine vulnerability; just before the clothed exterior came off and he was stripped down to nothing but his own pride.

But then he caught sight of her face, and his face lit up like a sixteen year old's.

"Raven?"

"Hi," she murmured, not making direct eye contact. "Can I come in?"

"Always," he replied, opening the door and letting her in.

There was not as much green in his apartment as she had suspected. The kitchen was modern, simple. The living room was filled with clutter, but she had expected nothing less. And on the mantle, there was a framed picture that made her throat close up – the five Titans together, taken the summer after the death of Slade at a barbeque up on the roof. One of the other Titans must have taken it – there had been so many people at that barbeque. But the original five of them looked so happy. Cyborg had his arm around Robin's shoulder, who in turn was holding Starfire's waist as she laughed, her mouth thrown wide open. Cyborg's other arm was around Beast Boy, who was – oh God –

His green hand rested on her hip, and she leaned in to him, ever so slightly, a beautiful closed smile lighting up her face.

It literally brought tears to her eyes. She squashed them immediately and sat down on the couch, ignoring the picture.

Beast Boy said nothing as he rummaged around in the kitchen. But a moment later he came out with a steaming cup of tea that he handed to her with a smile.

"Dark cherry and vanilla."

"Why do you have this stuff?" She murmured, taking the tea.

"Just in case you ever came back."

She started and looked up at him, but his face was dead serious.

"I gotta change. Come to my room?"

She nodded and followed him down, her feet softly padding the floor. Her senses were heightened to the point of telepathy. Something about his presence always made her hyperaware of her surroundings.

The green finally came out in his bedroom. Forrest green paint covered the walls and a lighter green bedspread covered the massive bed in the center. He moved to the closet and methodically began to remove his clothing with the time-worn manner of a man who had to dress up to work. His thin fingers loosened his tie, finally slipping it off his collar. One by one he undid his buttons, allowing his chest to expand more naturally with breath, and pulled out his shirttails from where they were tucked in. When he took off the shirt and let it fall on the ground, there was a clean white undershirt on beneath it. Finally he slipped off his pants, causing Raven to freeze for a moment, but then he graciously pulled on a pair of sweatpants. She watched him, fascinated, the tea warming her cold hands.

When he finally turned to her, she could see for the first time just how much he'd grown from their adolescence together. And it was incredible.

He sat down beside her on the bed and said, "What are you doing here, Raven? After last time, I thought…"

"Well, Starfire and I kinda made a pact."

He raised an eyebrow.

"She was adamant about me seeing you again, so I told her I'd do it if she went to see Robin."

"Starfire went to see Robin? I would pay big money to see that shitshow."

She cracked a smile. "We don't really have any right to call them a shitshow."

"Good point. But Raven, the ball's in your court. Was there something you wanted to tell me tonight?"

She absentmindedly chewed on her lip and then took a drink from her tea. The presence of his thigh, so close to hers, sent tiny feathery lightning bolts between their skin. She wondered if he could feel the electricity.

"I guess I wanted to tell you to let me go," she finally said. "You've got a much better life without me in it."

He buzzed his lips and ran a hand through his hair. "What do I have to do to convince you that that's not true?"

"You can't. You've got to let me go. I can promise your life is only gonna get worse if you keep me in it."

"Oh, and you expect me to continue living life knowing you're fucking random men for money?"

She had never known him to be rational. When she sheepishly raised her eyes to his face, defiance was written all over his green skin. There was nothing she could say.

"Raven, will you please let me see your arms?"

Immediately she sucked them in to her chest.

"Baby, please."

"Call me 'baby' one more time. I fucking _dare_ you."

And suddenly, before she could do anything, he reached forward, grabbed her wrist and pulled up her sleeve. Like Starfire before him, his gasp was audible.

His timing was awful. The events of the week, the confusing thoughts that swirled around in her head now that Starfire and Beast Boy were back in her life had made drugs even more enchanting lately. A few of the abscesses were still bleeding. Even worse, new scars on her wrists were open and screaming. The razor blade's bite had been too good to resist.

Beast Boy gently laid her hand back down on her lap and then dropped his head. "I am so sorry."

"Not your fault. My fault. You don't have any right to blame yourself."

"Was this why you left the last time?"

"Oh, my God!" She stood up and began pacing, leaving her tea on the bedside table. Now the electricity between them had started to burn her skin. "I really, really, really do _not_ want to talk about that."

"Raven…"

Oh, no. She knew what he was going to say. She could hear it in his voice.

_Can't say it. Can't say it. Don't say it._

"You need saving, Raven."

"No!" She threw out her hand without thinking, pulled her powers out from under her skin, slammed him against the wall. As he fell to the ground, coughing, she strode over, power and indignation suddenly thumping in her heart.

"I don't need saving, goddamn it! I'm a superhero!"

"No," he spat, on his hands and knees, "you're a whore and an addict."

She held a glowing fist out. "Don't make me kick your ass, Beast Boy."

He narrowed his eyes, anger rising in his face as he stood up. She held her ground, blood slamming in her ears, and beckoned him forward with two fingers and a cocky grin.

He morphed into a gorilla and ran hollering towards her. She couldn't control her powers, and she didn't even try. Pulling even deeper from within her, she felt the black energy envelop her again, and for the first time in years she levitated from the ground and rushed forward.

The green gorilla in front of her threw her down, but she pushed him back and rose up to slam him with a black fist. He twisted into a snake and slithered down, then was suddenly a ram, racing forward to throw her down. Just as Raven was preparing her defenses, arms crossed in front, he hesitated.

Then she sent him flying backwards with her magic.

"Don't you dare go soft on me!" She screamed. Her entire spirit was afire. She had forgotten how good her powers felt. "Don't you fucking _dare_!"

He got to his feet, spitting out some blood on the ground. Then he whipped off his shirt, tossed it aside, and morphed into a triceratops, all horns and teeth and scales running for her.

She blocked him. He morphed again. And suddenly it was just like old times, the reflexes in her muscles knowing just when to dodge him, just like she'd used to know how to dodge Slade and Monsieur Mallah and every other villain she'd had to face. Beast Boy had gotten good, though. And fighting in heels was a bitch.

He snuck up on her from behind as a bear, grabbed her close. As she struggled and kicked, trying to find something to use as a weapon, he morphed back into a human and whispered into her ear,

"See how easy this is?"

She kicked him in the balls and he dropped to the floor.

"See how easy that was?"

He coughed and spluttered, hands clutching his package, and she flipped her ankle and kicked him onto his back on the floor. Then she straddled him, bent over, and grabbed his throat with a glowing hand.

"I told you," she whispered, "I don't need saving."

He cocked a smile. God, that fang.

"You never would listen to anybody but yourself."

How _could_ he? In a swift move, she stood up and planted her heels over his wrists, trapping him to the floor.

"Alright. This is what's going to happen." With nimble fingers, she unhooked her skirt and tossed it to the side, exposing the twisting thorns around her hips. Then she snapped her fingers and her panties vanished in a black bolt.

"Since you still don't believe that I'm the one who calls the shots here, we're gonna do things on my terms. You're gonna stay right there. I'm gonna lean over. And you're going to eat me out until I tell you to stop."

She said this all with a smirk. If there was one thing that eight years in the sex industry had taught her, it was that men _never_ actually wanted to eat a girl out.

"Hope you like teeth, baby girl," Beast Boy said with a wink. "Cause I've got a few tricks where the fang might come in handy."

What the _fuck_?

He was actually grinning. Not even cocky smirking. He looked genuinely excited. All of his anger from before had vanished.

"Why are you looking like that?" She snapped.

"Jesus, Raven, I've been waiting to eat you out again since we broke up."

She paused. Oh my God, she had been half kidding. Was she actually going to get eaten out right now? Her heart raced just thinking about it.

Then she shut her face down. She dropped to her knees, still pinning his wrists down, and scooched her vagina right up to his face. "Just surrender and you won't have to."

"I never surrender, Raven. Now come closer, how am I supposed to make you cum from there?"

Oh, my God!

Her heart still racing, she moved up until she was on top of him. All she could see was his green eyes, looking positively elated. Then she felt his tongue on her, and neither of them opened their eyes. From the first moment, it felt too damn good to be experienced with eyes open.

The orgasm shattered her from the inside out. She was purified, heat scorching her from the inside and letting her, if just for a moment, to forget all of her impurities and to simply feel the rocketing energy of the best orgasm she'd had since…well, since she'd left him. Beast Boy was _incredible_. When she was finally finished and she fell backwards onto the floor, it made her wonder with a twang how many girls he'd done that to to get so good at it.

They lay there for a few moments, both breathing deeply. Raven, as satisfied as she was, could not believe herself. She claimed she hated this kid, and now she'd fucked him twice? Oh, Jesus.

"Hey, Rae?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna be offended if I go brush my teeth?"

She gave a smile. "Well, you're the first guy to eat me out in eight years. So do whatever you want."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I mean, you understand. You can't tell me you actually enjoyed that."

"Raven, don't be stupid." He slowly got to his feet and moved to the adjacent bathroom. "The look on your face was worth every second."

She immediately flushed as he disappeared into the bathroom. Oh, my God. She was lying on Beast Boy's floor, wearing nothing but a black sweater and some heels, her tattoos exposed for the world. She heard the sound of him brushing his teeth from the bathroom. Oh, my God, she was the worst hooker _ever_.

Suddenly panties-less, she slowly moved her body up and started looking around for her skirt.

"Don't you dare think of leaving," he called.

"Oh, what, you expect something in return?"

"Well, I'm never gonna say no to _that_, but I'd kind of rather just talk. We have a lot of catching up to do."

She read into his words, and they made her panic. "You want me to explain why I left."

"Raven – " He stepped out and found her snapping her skirt on over her hips. "Please."

"Okay, you wanna talk? How many girls have you had sex with since us?"

That made him freeze. "What?"

"You don't just give a girl the best orgasm of her life after no practice. Come on, B. I'm a whore. I know this. Who's it been?"

"Oh, Jesus." He leaned his body against the wall and ran a hand through his hair. "Why do you care?"

The tone of his voice! He'd had other girls. Rage bubbled up. "How many?"

"A few, okay? I've dated. It's been nine years since us."

Oh, my God. Was this what heartbreak felt like? Like her chest had been cracked open? She worked hard to keep her voice in check. "You dated?"

"They didn't work out."

"Why not?"

"They weren't you."

And suddenly her chest mended itself again, and she found herself filled with effervescent bubbles. This guy needed to stop playing with her emotions like this. She felt like a doll in his hands. Raven looked down at the floor and twisted her heels.

"Was there ever anyone else for you, Raven?"

"No," she snapped. "There was no one. I became a hooker. There was no one."

"Did you miss me?" His voice was so soft. He took a step towards her, and she took a step back.

"Apparently you didn't miss me." She couldn't stop the heartbreak in her voice. "I can't believe you dated other people!"

"You left me without saying why and a heartbreak too strong for a seventeen-year-old kid to handle, what the hell was I supposed to do?" He yelled. "I was devastated, Raven!"

"How soon was the rebound?"

"Cyborg set me up with a girl a month after you left."

"ONE MONTH?" She screamed.

"It was awful! I hated it! Raven, if we die tonight, all I want you to know is that I have _never_ been the same since you left!"

The stood opposite each other, straining to read each other's eyes. Raven felt tears welling up for the first time in years, and she couldn't stop herself from reaching out, ever so slightly.

"Garfield…"

He bounded forward and crushed her into a hug. She was caught up in his breath. "Oh, my God, Raven…"

"I can't," she whimpered. She hated how weak she sounded. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. Stay with me, Raven. We'll make it work."

"No, we can't, I can't!"

"Please, I'm begging you, don't do this to me again. I need you."

"I can't!"

"Why are you so scared?" His breath tickled her ear.

"I CAN'T!"

And with that, she sank in a black wave into the floor and flew back home, the wings of her raven pumping furiously into the night sky.

Beast Boy fell back down on the bed and screamed.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed! The main story plot starts picking up very soon. Please tell me what you think, your reviews mean so much to me :) All my love - PVB**


	12. Starfury

**Chapter Twelve – Starfury**

* * *

Today, Starfire was in the streets, her favorite place in Jump City. She loved modeling outside – she could draw her inspiration from the expressions of the people in the street. Today, straddling a city barricade in one of the most provocative poses in her career, the goal of the shoot was a defiance of government power. With bleeding red eyeliner and black lips, temporary tattoos in the red anarchy sign all over her body, Starfire stared down the camera with the hatred that she so often felt radiating from these people, who had been subjected to so many villainous attacks over the year. She struck pose after pose, channeling her confusion from meeting Robin into her shoot, and was completely absorbed in her work.

That is, until something exploded.

"The fuck?" Her cameraman's confused exclamation drew her out of her reverie, and she turned behind her. It looked like one of the city's industrial silos was burning on the outskirts of town. As she watched, something black and shiny – was that oil? – started to spill out of the top, and was incinerated immediately.

The police began pouring out and sprinting towards the scene, and her camera crew began to back up.

But Starfire was entranced. Her heart was slamming in her chest. This was what she'd been waiting for. This was what she'd been waiting to hear from Jump City!

She hopped off the police barricade and sprinted towards the silo.

* * *

Up in his penthouse office space, Cyborg had just gotten off the phone with the most annoying contractor in the world. He dropped his head to his desk and sighed. God, why were some people just so damn stupid?

Then he heard the explosion outside his window.

He whipped his head around to look. One of the silos a few miles away was exploding. All of the surrounding tech companies were in danger.

"Mr. Stone?" His secretary's voice came through. "Your twelve o'clock appointment is here."

Did she not know? Cyborg stood straight up and stared. What the hell was going on?

Then he realized – the city was in danger.

The fucking city was in _danger_!

"Stacey," he barked into the intercom as he ripped off his jacket and tie. "Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day!"

"Mr. Stone, what – "

The next thing she saw, he was sprinting through the office towards the stairs.

* * *

Starfire arrived just in time to see the silo begin to crack.

"Oh, shit," she gasped, taking a look as hundreds of workers ran past her and away from the burning power plant. She narrowed her alien eyes and saw that the top half was beginning to crack under the weight of the exploding oil. They needed someone to meld the cracks shut and then shutter the top down to prevent the burning oil from releasing into the city.

Oh, God, she used to be able to do that, didn't she?

Starfire was suddenly really, really nervous. Could she even shoot starbolts anymore? Hundreds of people were running away from the big scary burning building, and she wanted to go _towards_ it?

_Bullshit_! She shook her head. _You're a fucking superhero, now go act like it!_

Summoning all of her strength, she shot off the ground and flew into the sky.

The heat began to burn her almost as soon as she got airborne, but she was an alien after all, so she pushed forward. Her vision began to blur from the heat, but she got close enough to see the crack, and moved forward to use her starbolts.

_Alright – righteous fury. We can do righteous fury. Right?_

Some more oil exploded above her and she eeked. Oh, my God, what the fuck?

_Focus, Starfire! RIGHTEOUS GODDAMNED FURY!_

With a Tamaranian battle cry, she held out her hands and pushed. An initial spurt of emerald-green energy exploded and then fizzled out, but she narrowed her eyes and focused, and then she shot off a steady stream of blinding green energy, feeling so good she wanted to shout. With a crazy grin lighting up her face, she concentrated her blasts on the crack and began to slowly mend it.

But oil was still exploding. She dodged the hot blasts as she tried to mend the silo, but they were coming down really fast and it was really scary –

And then her eardrums almost burst as a concentrated explosion of sonic energy exploded above her. She peeked up and saw rippling blue beams shooting at the oil and keeping it from hitting her.

It couldn't be - ?

She didn't have time to look. This shit was gonna burst any time soon. She finished melding the silo together and then looked around for something to plug the top. What looked like a dismantled spaceship was lying on the ground, and without thinking too hard, she flew down and got her fingers under one of the wingplates. With a scream and the sounds of several muscles ripping, she pulled the entire steel plate off the ship, and then flew upwards and slammed it down on top of the silo. After a few spurts of oil that trickled out from underneath it, the silo suddenly stopped exploding.

Starfire hovered in the air, covered in oil, her hands smoking. Did she just save the city?

More importantly…

She slowly lowered herself to the ground to find the one other person who was crazy enough to stick around.

Cyborg stood, his hand still in sonic cannon mode, looking at Starfire with the craziest look on his face.

"Cyborg!" She screamed and ran forward. He didn't move.

Then she realized she was dressed like a straight-up street revolutionary. She wiped off her black lipstick on the back of her hand and then said,

"Sorry, I know I must look crazy, but Cyborg, it's me! Starfire!"

"Starfire?" He stared at her. Then he burst out in a grin and swept her up in a hug.

The two of them laughed for a minute on end, just freaking the fuck out. After a minute, he put her down and exclaimed,

"Hot damn, Star, I never thought I'd see you again!"

"I know!" She gushed. "Oh, Cy, I was so happy to see you, I was so scared up there, I haven't used my starbolts in so long – "

"I know, I never use my arm that much anymore, but that was – "

"So much fun!" They finished together, and then cracked up again.

"Starfire, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"I was modeling outside and I saw it going on. Why are you wearing slacks and dress shoes?"

"Oh, I was working at Stone Enterprises, and I saw it out my window…Starfire, I seriously never thought I'd see you again!"

"I know, I'm so sorry, I was such a child the last time I saw you." She smiled, and he was taken aback. Besides the lack of her alien accent, she just _acted_ different. She was so much more worldly than when he'd last known her. "I just left without offering any explanation, I'm so sorry. You must've been so confused."

"I just missed you, girl, that's all. Me and Bee and Silkie."

"Oh, my God, I miss Silkie so much! You and Bee are still together?"

"Going on nine years," he said with a smile.

"That's incredible!" Did he detect a twinge of something – maybe sadness, maybe regret – in her voice? She covered like a pro though. "I…wow." She shook her head. "I'm so glad for you, Cyborg."

"Thanks, Star."

The police had started arriving, and suddenly Starfire gasped and grabbed Cyborg's arm to lead him into the alley.

"What's – "

"I'm a high profile model, they can't know I used to be a Teen Titan," she whispered, shrinking from the scene. She felt so ridiculous, standing in the shadows wearing her heels and ripped t-shirt, but there was no way she could let her face be all over the papers tomorrow.

"I gotta get back to work too, but listen, Starfire." His voice dropped. "I don't think this was an isolated incident. There's been a lot of seismic activity relating to oil these last few weeks, and I'd bet my spare arm that this has something to do with that."

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"Do you have your Titans communicator?"

"Of course."

"Might wanna keep it on you, know what I mean?"

After a moment, she gave an assured smile.

"I'll be ready."

* * *

The city was not covered in flaming oil.

Cain's fury ate him up from the inside, and he sunk deep into the ground, heat burning him until he tore through the earth like a fiend.

Who were those? They could not possibly be the Titans?

He was not expecting them. They were supposed to have been gone years ago. What had they done? They had stopped him?

He ground his teeth. They would not stop him. He would have to plan bigger. This city would fall to its knees.

Perhaps soon would come the time to use that reservoir of oil beneath that strange tower like a 'T'.

* * *

**Here's Chapter 12! Hope you guys enjoyed the momentary return to badassness - trust me, there will be more :) next chapter - we finally get some answers from BB and Raven! Love you all, please tell me what you think! - PVB**


	13. Timeless

**Chapter Thirteen - Timeless**

* * *

Beast Boy's hawk eyes came in handy once again as he flew over the city, scanning for purple hair. He had managed to track Raven as she left the wrestling ring one night and he followed her to a run-down townhouse on 67th street. Tonight, he was counting on his eyes to find the house again as he beat his wings and flew downtown, hoping to finally get Raven to talk to him. But there was a tickling in the back of his mind that told him that he might not like what he found at Raven's house.

He became incarnate at the foot of her doorstep and walked up a small set of stairs. A thin blanket of green grass interspersed the brown dirt lining the sidewalk and neighbor's yards.

When he knocked, shufflings and the cock of a gun came from inside, making him stand on edge. "Who is it?" An unfamiliar girl's voice called out.

"My name is Garfield Logan. I'm here to talk to Rachel."

The door opened a crack, and the muzzle of a rifle poked through beneath one blue eye. "Garfield Logan?"

He held up his hands. "I'm not armed. I'm just here to see Rachel."

"You're green," she said, her voice changing tenor. "Like that kid from the Titans."

He merely nodded. After another moment, the blue eyes turned and the voice called out, "Rachel? Beast Boy from the Teen Titans is here for you?"

The gun stayed put as her voice came back to Beast Boy. "You stay there. I know you can change into animals."

"I'm not gonna shift, I promise."

For a moment they hung suspended as the sound of footsteps came down stairs from inside.

"Kyla, it's okay. I know him."

"How do you know a Teen Titan?"

She didn't answer, but instead opened the door. Raven and the girl stood together, Raven in ragged sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt, the girl wearing jeans and boots. The girl held the rifle in the crook of her elbow like a pro and glared at Beast Boy through dark brown bangs.

Raven sighed, her face soft and tender tonight. "What are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk. Please."

"I don't want to talk," she muttered.

"Maybe that's the reason why you need to do it."

Raven and Kyla shifted and looked at each other. Kyla raised her eyebrows at Raven, who just looked at her feet.

"Come in," she said, opening the door wider. Beast Boy stepped in.

As Kyla ambled off with her rifle, Beast Boy followed her into a small, dirty living room. Every surface was covered with drug paraphernalia, from bongs and hothouses to syringes, rolling paper and bags of various powders and plants. It gave Beast Boy a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He turned to Raven, who stood behind him with a strange mixture of defiance and shame written on her face.

"You came just in time," she said in a deadpan voice. "I was about to shoot myself up in my room."

His stomach dropped even farther down his body. "Please don't."

She heaved a sigh from her small chest. "Look, it was a really hard day at work today, and my vagina is bleeding even though my period isn't for another week. Can I at least smoke some weed to dull the pain without you going all guilt-trip on me?"

"There's never any point arguing with you," he said. This meeting was starting bad already.

Raven nodded and walked over to the couch. There was a small blue bong on the floor, and she picked it up and started to pack it with some weed from an old plastic bag on the table. Her thin fingers loaded the bong with all the expertise of a die-hard stoner.

She picked up a match to light it, and Beast Boy remarked, "Come on, you can make fire on your own."

She shook her head and lit up the weed. The bong filled with cloudy smoke, and she closed her eyes and sucked it in greedily. After a few hits, she said,

"Can't. Do you want some?"

He shook his head. "After college, I swore I wouldn't do weed again."

"You went to college?"

"Double majored in theatre and creative writing from Jump City U."

She sighed out a stream of smoke and then took her last desperate hit, turning the green weed into ashes. "I guess I missed out on a lot," she said.

"Yeah. Why can't you light a fire with your powers?"

"I don't like using my powers anymore," she said as she put away the bong.

"Why not?"

"Well, Jesus, if I liked using my powers do you think I'd be taking every drug known to man?" She paused. "Except meth. I've never done meth."

"Oh, well thank God you've got some morals left."

"If you're just going to make fun of me then get the hell out." She stood up and walked to the stairs.

"No, Raven, wait – "

"Don't fucking call me that!" She whirled around, her voice a hiss. "Kyla will hear you!"

"She doesn't know?"

"Of course not! Do your friends know who you are?"

"I'm fucking _green_!"

She stopped in her tracks. "Oh. Yeah. Didn't think that one through."

He managed a smile. "Can we please just talk, Rachel?"

She pursed her lips and headed up the stairs. "If it'll make you go away, then sure. Whatever. Just come up here."

He could've punched the air in victory as he followed her up the stairs. The townhouse was absolutely tiny, just one shared bedroom and a bathroom on the top story. The bedroom was much neater than the downstairs. Two twin beds took up most of the space, but a tall bookshelf occupied one corner, filled with books with leather covers that Beast Boy recognized immediately.

"You kept your books?"

She cracked a smile. "Yep. It's the one addiction I'm glad to say I kept."

He could tell the weed was taking effect. Her eyes were slightly hazy and closed, her face a little softer. She sat down on the bed and Beast Boy sat down beside her.

"What happened at work today?" He asked.

She shook her head. "There's this one guy. Named Luis. He's gigantic, and he likes it rough. S&M, bondage shit. Lately, when I've been with him, he's been tearing something inside of me. I don't know what happens, but I usually wind up bleeding for a few days. I probably should go to the gynecologist, but…"

"But what?"

"It's too expensive," she murmured.

"I'll pay for it," he said immediately.

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

He waited for the inevitable protest from her, the demand that he leave her alone or get out of her life or something. But instead, she just lowered her head and said, "Thank you for pretending like I've got a chance. It really helps."

"You don't think you've got a chance?"

"Beast Boy," she said, her voice tender, "I promised myself if I hadn't died in a few years that I could kill myself."

No words had ever hurt him more – that the woman he loved had given up on herself.

"Please, Raven," he whispered, "there's so much more for you. You can't give up yet."

"I already have."

He couldn't stop his hands from snaking around her and pulling her close, pressing her small, warm body to his own. He wasn't surprised when at first she froze and almost tried to pull away. But he was surprised when after a minute or so, he felt her warm lips pushing up against his, drawing him into a deep kiss. He followed her lead, and after a moment she gently moved him down against the bed and traced her hands underneath the bottom of his shirt.

"Raven," he muttered, "what - ?"

"Let's," she said, looking him in the eyes. "Not like the last times. Like we mean it. Like it's the last thing we'll ever do."

The whole world outside of their room was cold and frozen and over. But in here, in this crappy run-down apartment, they were timeless. And Beast Boy didn't know how much more time he had left with her.

"Okay," he said.

She gave him a true smile – a smile that he hadn't seen in years – and slipped her t-shirt off of her head.

Her hands were so, so warm, not cold and dead like he'd thought they would be, as she gently stripped off his clothes. She treated him like a god, and he treated her like a goddess, and he kissed her scars and tattoos, forgiving her for all the years of silence. She ran her hands up and down his body, giving him shivers deep in his bones, and when she just touched his member it was like an orgasm. Sliding inside of her was heaven, and though he knew she must've had sex with a thousand men by now, she still felt like she had the first time when they did it on the grass behind the Tower, beneath a million stars and galaxies – soft, mysterious, tight, sweet. It was everything he'd ever hoped for.

This time, they didn't collapse on either side of each other. Once he finally came with a guttural sight, he fell onto her like she was a pillow, and they held each other close. Her long, silky hair covered her shoulders and tickled his body, and he gripped her with fingers like claws and felt the animalistic urge to never let another man touch her.

In here, listening to the steady beating of her heart, feeling her warm skin, there were no threats. They were infinite. And his soul was still burning to know.

"So what happened?"

"We just had sex."

"No, I mean, after you moved out."

Her jaw clenched and she rolled over. He was faced with that incredible back tattoo – a swirling, mystical raven, feminine and strong at the same time. Through it he could barely make out the burn scars from her childhood. He reached out with a finger to touch the one right between her shoulder blades, the one in the valley, but her back spasmed.

"Don't."

"Please. You owe it to me to tell me where you went. I thought we were going to stay friends."

"Girls never really mean it when they say that."

"You're not just any girl, Raven."

Her shoulders clenched in even more, making the raven's wings expand. He could hear her lighting up a cigarette, the silence and then raspy exhale of her smoking. One finger was still poised over the raven on her back, afraid if it would fly away.

When her voice came, it was soft, almost a whisper. Spoken like the sixteen-year-old girl he'd once known.

"First I went to Azarath. Lived with the monks, went back to my roots. Released my mother from her prison. Took a break from everything here. Tried to figure out how to get back."

All he could see was her purple hair, falling upon the pillow. Her naked body stayed clenched.

"But my father came back. Needed revenge." She took a drag. "Wanted me dead. I tried to lure him off the planet, face him in space. But…"

Outside, something cried in the night. Inside, Beast Boy reached out to touch the raven. Her muscles were bunched tightly, knots woven underneath the scars.

"I tried. I tried." Her voice dropped to a softer whisper. "But he destroyed them. Destroyed everyone. My world burned and he made me watch."

_Oh, God, no._ Beast Boy wasn't sure if he should come closer. She was so closed off, creating her own armor, the raven protecting her from everything. For a moment they hung suspended, and he thought he imagined a sob from her throat.

Her voice became deadpan. "I went to Gotham first. Far away. Big population of mystics. Thought I could make a living with the gypsies. But they knew. Everyone fucking knows. A week with them, just when I started to get comfortable, and one of them realized who I was, and I was back on the streets. She could feel the evil in me, she said. I needed to go somewhere where I couldn't hurt anybody."

Beast Boy didn't want to hear anymore. His heart sank a little with each word. But he was just as afraid for her to stop talking. The words from her were far too long in coming.

"I learned the trade in Steel City. Knew if I stayed clear of the Titans East, I'd be able to survive on my own. My first trick on the streets…"

He closed his eyes and steeled himself for the conclusion.

"I wanted to die," she whispered. "Blowjob in the back of his car. Coating the inside of my mouth…but the money. Fifty bucks for a fifteen minute blowjob. I needed to eat, B. I was so hungry, cold…couldn't even feel anymore…"

He still couldn't open his eyes. Anger and resentment welled up, bitter and coppery like blood in his mouth, and he reached out until his fingers found her hips.

"Stayed homeless for about the first year. After that I could afford some hotels and stuff. After four years or so, starting living with some girls who dealt. It started with pot, but with my powers, I needed more. Ecstasy was awful, couldn't wrap my head around what was happening. Acid felt like the entire world was falling down, and I swore I wouldn't do meth. But shot up some black tar one night and never looked back. H stops the feelings. Lets me forget for a while. Numbs my powers. Stops the burning. I need it, B."

_No you fucking don't. No you fucking don't._

"Eventually, Kyla got in trouble with the law and convinced me to run to Jump City with her. I was so scared, those first nights on the street, thought one of you would find me. I found my madam after a few months and she set me up under the wrestling arena. The money's good, I guess…but I think I just always knew I needed to come back here. The city needed me. I needed it. Could never get my breath under me when I wasn't here."

Finally, slowly, Beast Boy approached the raven, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him, their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces.

"But Rae…" he murmured, "why did you move out in the first place?"

_Please don't fly away._

For the first time, she shifted, looking up at him with those shaded violet eyes, rimmed ever so slightly with tears.

"I don't know," she admitted.

Beast Boy held her face and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I promise, you never need to be afraid again."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed the longer chapter! Ahh, I can't even tell you how fun it is to write these BBxRae scenes...I'm going to be so sad when the story ends and I can't write them anymore. At any rate, I love you guys! Please tell me what you think! Thank you! - PVB**


	14. Waiting for You

**Chapter Fourteen – Waiting for You**

* * *

Suddenly Starfire was a superhero again. She came home on cloud nine, knowing that she once again had the power to save worlds that she had thought she'd lost in her adolescence. She walked home in her heels and met people's eyes in the streets for once, telling them with her proud smile and shimmering eyes that she was Starfire, and she could save them. When she walked up the stairs to her apartment, she couldn't wait to tell Gary what a great day she'd had (leaving out specifics, of course).

But Gary wasn't there. She couldn't remember him saying he'd had to work late that night. She shrugged, and took advantage of his absence to indulge in her favorite meal – mustard with pickles. Oh, God, it was so good.

He still wasn't home after dinner. Frowning, she called his cell, but he didn't pick up. She put on a movie and planned her next visit to Raven. How did her meeting with Beast Boy go?

Gary finally came home at ten o'clock, after Starfire had watched 'Easy A' and 'Urban Cowboy' on FX. When she heard the door click, she turned around with a big smile on her face. But Gary just looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Kori? You're not supposed to be home."

"No, my shoot didn't go that late today. Where've you been?"

"Out." He stumbled to the fridge and pulled out a beer, even though the smell of whiskey on him reached her from the couch.

"You've been drinking," she sighed, frustration coming through in her voice.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a grown ass man."

"I know that, babe." She walked over to him and wrapped her hands around his neck. When she kissed him, she could practically taste the liquor.

And then a new smell assaulted her sensitive alien nose – vanilla perfume clinging to his shirt. That wasn't right. Starfire, when she did wear perfume, wore peonies.

"Gary," she said, aware of her voice becoming tight, "why do you smell like vanilla perfume?"

"I can't believe you can even smell that," he grunted.

Her heart leapt up into her throat. "Gary?"

"It's nothing, Kori."

"Tell me!"

"I just went out for drinks with a woman from the office."

"What the _fuck_ do you mean?" Her heart raced. Her blood pounded. She felt herself acting up, up, up.

"Jesus, Kori, calm down." He ambled to the couch. "It was just drinks."

"Drinks until ten at night? And you're wasted? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Oh, my God, you are so childish sometimes."

"No, you're the one who treats me like a child!" She raised her voice and glared him down, but he wouldn't even look at her. "You at least owed me a text, telling me where you were! This is unacceptable!"

"Whatever." He sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.

Rage like she'd never known before built up in her throat. She couldn't even believe it. "Gary, this is bullshit and you know it. I deserve an apology."

"For what? Getting drinks with a girl from the office?"

"Until ten at night! And for not telling me! _And_ for acting like an ass now!"

"Oh, because you're gonna make me?" She could hear the sneer in his voice.

She walked over, picked him up and slammed him against the wall, making the pictures rattle. His bloodshot eyes widened in fear.

"Kori, how are you – "

"I work out," she said shortly. "Say you're sorry."

"Put me down, you psycho bitch!"

"SAY YOU'RE SORRY!"

"I'm sorry I ever went out with you!"

She blinked, her face close to his. His eyes didn't show a hint of remorse – only cold, shivering fear. Attempting to stop the irrational sobs that were gathering in the back of her throat, she let him drop to the ground and ran out of the apartment.

* * *

Slow night at the office. After managing to pull in a few stupid kids for speeding, Robin sat at the police station, eating his late-night Subway and looking at the reports that he had to write up. All of the other officers sat in a corner watching the game, but he didn't feel like joining. Sometimes human happiness was just too much for him.

The door to the station opened, and the receptionist said, "Hello ma'am, how can I help you?"

"Yes, is Officer Grayson here?"

His entire body perked up and he dropped his sub and walked out. Starfire was standing in the lobby, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with bright red eyes and nose.

"Are you okay?" He asked immediately.

She shook her head, trying to contain herself. "Can I stay with you for the night?"

"Of course," he said, grabbing his coat. "Linda, tell the boss I'm taking one of my vacation nights, okay? It's slow around here, you guys won't miss me tonight."

"Uh, sure, Officer Grayson, are you - ?"

He didn't even wait to hear what she said, but grabbed Starfire's hand and walked out to the parking lot. As they were walking, Starfire kept sniffling, and he said,

"What happened? What's wrong?"

An insanely overprotective vibe was coming over him. God, if someone hurt her, they were going to die tonight –

But she stopped all that. "Robin, you're not saving me," she said, stopping him in his tracks. "I need you to know that. I just need somewhere out of my house tonight and you're the best that I've got right now, okay? Can you please not get overprotective?"

"Hard for me to do when you run to me crying at work."

"It's fine. I'm fine. It's just…"

"What?"

"My boyfriend is just being such an ass right now," she murmured.

He looked her dead in the eyes and said, "I don't even know this guy, but I can tell you that you deserve better."

She sniffed, averting her eyes, and said, "Can we please go to your house? I need to get some sleep."

"Sure, Star." He led her over to his car and they drove off into the night.

On the drive over, Robin was privileged enough to watch the secret girl ritual of making oneself look presentable after crying. Starfire wiped the tears out from her eyes, practiced smiling in the car mirror, fluffed out her hair, and completely ignored Robin. He wondered what she was trying to do. Didn't it not work if he'd already seen her crying?

"Starfire – "

"I need to know, Robin." She turned to him with those superhero eyes. "Are you still in love with me?"

Oh, my God, was she fucking kidding?

"I don't have to answer that," he said diplomatically, staring straight ahead.

After a moment of silence, she said in her soft voice,

"I thought so."

_Shit._

His brows were furrowed low as he pulled in the driveway of his townhouse. God, this woman would always be able to destroy him completely. When was he ever going to get over her?

This provoked a chuckle. Stupid question.

Despite how mad he was, he still hustled around to the other side to open up Starfire's door when they pulled up. She glared at him.

"Chivalry is dead, Robin."

"Not to me it isn't."

She did something strange with her mouth, like she couldn't tell whether to be mad or elated. It gave him a small feeling of power. So she wasn't completely over him either.

They walked in silence through the door, and Starfire observed Robin's apartment with wide eyes. He tried to look at it as she saw it. Was it clean enough? Was it too manly? God, when was the last time he took out the fucking recycling?

"Can I hop in the shower?" she asked.

Oh, my God. Starfire, showering in his house? He practically got a boner just thinking about it. "Uh, Star, that's a little dangerous," he said honestly.

"I trust your gentlemanly instincts," she said, ambling down the hall with those swinging hips.

_Bad idea, girl._

He waited until he heard the shower go on, and then he grabbed a roll of paper towels and ran into his room to take care of that persistent part of his anatomy that was currently demanding Starfire with a vengeance. He had to be a gentleman. She was coming to him for help. He had to be a gentleman.

Afterwards, he was proud of himself. He thought he'd done the noble thing, and now he'd be able to talk to her like a rational human being instead of a sex-crazed horndog.

But that was before Starfire walked out wearing only a towel.

Her wet hair falling down her chest, dripping water onto her long, bare legs. The way that her eyelashes were glued together with moisture, her lips slightly wet. The noticeable swell of her cleavage. The delicate way that she held the towel up to her chest.

His dick jumped up like a show dog.

"I feel so much better," she said with a smile. "Is there a bedroom where I could spend the night?"

He couldn't even speak. He just pointed down the hall. She gave him another sweet smile and walked past him. The delicate scent of soap on her almost made him faint.

What was this red-haired temptress doing to him?

He stood in the hall until he heard the door close. Her towel hit the ground with a soft noise. Then he heard the wet rustling as she played with her hair.

Robin walked forward in a trance. He saw his hand reach for the door completely of its own will. _What are you doing? Stop that! Stop that now!_

He couldn't stop. Starfire, naked in his house? Oh, my God. All of his masturbation fantasies for the past nine years had suddenly come true.

_STOP THAT, GODDAMN IT!_

He couldn't help himself. He reached the door and pushed it open.

The view was better than he ever could have imagined. Starfire, completely naked from behind, her hands stretched up and playing with her long, wet hair. The sensuous curve of her back, her soft golden skin, flowed down with the rivulets of water from her back to her high, small butt cheeks. She had tiny stripper dimples above each cheek – he'd never seen them before. She turned to him, ever so slightly, one hand coming down to lie on her side. It was enough to prevent him from seeing side boob, but he did get one brief, glorious flash of her tiny, pink nipple.

_I am in heaven._

She didn't yell. She didn't even really try to cover up. She just gave him a small smile. "As long as you're here, wanna grab me a t-shirt and some sweats? Don't worry about underwear."

_HOLY FUCKING SHIT!_

Robin stumbled out of the room and walked down to his room in a trance. Was she enjoying the power she had over him? Why was she acting so strange? What was going on in that alien mind of hers?

He came back with one of his t-shirts and some sweatpants, but this time one of her hands stuck outside the door. "Stay out there, naughty boy," she said with a laugh, grabbing the clothes.

_Damn it._

After a minute, she opened the door in his white v-neck and dark blue police sweatpants, the moisture from her hair already making the outline of her breasts clearly visible. Even more intoxicating, the scent of his smell on her raised something primal from up within him. He wanted her to wear those clothes all the time, so everyone would know that she was his.

At the same moment, he realized with a sinking sensation that she had never really been his. She could have been. But he lost her.

She cocked her head at him and smiled. "Thank you, Robin."

"No problem," he said, a smile bursting onto his face. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much," she said with a nod. "I'll feel good enough to go back in the morning."

"You're going to go back to him?"

Her face tightened and she turned to go inside the room. Robin followed her as she sat down on the bed. "He's a good boyfriend."

"Doesn't sound like it."

"He loves me."

"Not like I can." He was being so honest with her.

"Then why did you tell me you weren't interested?" Her eyes were so direct. She was boring right into him.

The million dollar question. He would have given anything to punch his sixteen-year-old self in the face right now. "Starfire, it's hard to put into words – "

"Well, try! That hurt me, Robin! You knew how I felt about you, and all you could say, after three years together, was that you weren't interested? Did the kiss we shared in Tokyo not mean anything to you?" Her voice was breaking.

"I was scared, okay?" He barked out. Starfire froze. "Okay? I was seventeen, I was madly in love with you, you were an alien a hundred times stronger than me, and you scared the living shit out of me! Maybe it was too soon for us to move in together. We weren't ready."

"We didn't have to move in together. That was Raven and Beast Boy. They always moved faster than we did. We could've stayed at the Tower with Cyborg and Bee."

"It was still too much." He shook his head. "I couldn't, Star. You were moving too fast for me."

He looked up at her eyes and felt like his heart had been torn. Her eyes were so, so sad, her entire face long and forlorn. "Robin…I wasn't moving too fast. You just weren't ready to move at all."

The whole room had sank into a feeling of regret. Ice water had filled Robin's veins. He pursed his lips and felt like his world was coming down. "I don't know what to say, Star. I'm sorry? You hurt me too – why would you just leave like that?"

"Oh, because you're such a victim," she drawled. "I imagine you haven't spent the last nine years waiting for me."

That managed to catch him. His breath caught and he said, "I waited for a while. But you didn't come back. So I had to move on."

"How'd that work out for you?"

"I'm single, aren't I?"

She bit her lip and looked out the window. Her hair fell over one shoulder, made soft wet streaks in his white t-shirt. She was the most beautiful woman he would ever see. "So neither of us are the scared little virgins we used to be."

"Wait, you're not a virgin?"

She couldn't have slept with him! She couldn't have! That was his to take!

"I couldn't wait either," she said, looking him in the eyes. "You told me you weren't interested. I moved on."

His hand reached out involuntarily to hold hers, and her warm, soft skin gave him chills. "Starfire, please. I can't…please just…"

"Leave my boyfriend for you? No, Robin. You had your chance."

"He doesn't love you like I do!" He burst out. "He'll never love you like I do!"

Her eyes widened, her mouth opened ever so slightly in surprise. Before he lost this perfect moment he leaned forward and kissed her, feeling the beautiful swell of her perfect lips against his. And for a moment, she was into it. For a moment, he could feel her breath slow, her eyes close, her body leaned forward. He reached up to touch her soft arm.

He knew it wouldn't last. So he enjoyed every second of it before she inevitably pulled away. "We can't."

"Don't tell me you don't feel the same for me."

She blinked, her face closed. "I think we should just go to bed now, don't you? In separate rooms."

She didn't answer! Oh, God, she didn't answer!

But that didn't mean her face looked any happier. She still stared at him with those unreadable eyes.

He had no choice but to stand and walk to the door. "Good night, Starfire."

"Good night, Robin." She turned away from him, and he swore he heard a sniffle.

Even though they were in separate rooms that night, Robin could swear he felt a connection between them, like her spirit was in the room with his. All he could hope for was that she felt the same thing. Because he would give anything to be in that bed with her.

* * *

**Hello, friends! So I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. (I would like to state that I am a perfectly straight woman in a very loving and committed relationship...but sometimes it's just fun to write Starfire being naked ;) Review please, I appreciate every single one! All my lovin - PVB**


	15. Farewell, Kori Anderson

**Chapter Fifteen – Farewell, Kori Anderson**

* * *

"This'll be fun, I promise."

"Gary, you know how much I hate action movies."

"Okay, well, how about a rom-com? My treat. Just the two of us. To make up for last night."

She wasn't having it today. Her arms had stayed crossed the entire conversation. "I'm not really in the mood."

"Please. Let me make it up to you." He gave her that plaintive look that told her he was trying to be a good boyfriend. And, because she was a softie, she finally gave in.

"Okay. Afterwards, can we please talk? We've been putting off this conversation for months."

"Anything you want, princess." He slung his arm around her and they headed out of the apartment.

_You have no idea._

It was early evening, and Starfire let him hold her hand as they stepped out into Jump City. The place was hopping, a million young couples strolling around and being adorable. Her lips still buzzed with electricity from Robin's kiss from last night, and Gary's hand in hers felt like a dead weight all of a sudden. What was wrong with her?

She knew. But she couldn't even think it to herself, much less say it out loud.

"You hear that rumble? The club must be jumping tonight. You wanna - ?"

"Oh, come on, I _hate_ clubs." Her first experience with her sister, all those years ago, still stung.

"I'm sorry, love. I forgot." He reached over to kiss her on the lips, and she felt bad for a moment. He was trying so hard. She lightened up and gave him a smile before realizing that the rumbling hadn't gone away. And it sounded like more than just a nightclub.

"Gary – "

Then a Godzilla-sized human figure, made entirely of swirling black oil, rose up from the ground in front of her.

"HOLY SHIT!" Gary screamed.

The oil man roared and stepped forward, causing the street to buckle and crack in front of him. Cars rolled down into the sewers and an electrical line snapped as people ran screaming in the other direction. The oil man stepped towards the electrical line, crackling with sparks, and managed to set itself on fire. He let out a vicious, bubbling laugh.

Starfire knew what she had to do. Her heart had slowed to a steady, pulsing beat. But Gary was here. Her secret would be blown.

But the screaming people in her ears were the symphony she'd been waiting to hear.

"Hold this," she said, handing Gary her purse.

"Kori, what's going on? Why are you taking off your coat? What the hell _is_ that thing? Kori – "

"Stop calling me Kori!" She snapped, ripping off her coat to free her arms. "Kori Anderson is a fake name. Call me Starfire."

"Starfire? What the – "

"Shut up and let me save you!" She tossed her coat to him and burst into the sky.

As she flew, she evaluated the situation. This thing was ten stories tall and made entirely of flaming oil. This would not be easy. She drew back her arms and prepared to begin a starbolt barrage to test the waters when she heard –

"STARFIRE, STOP!"

Cyborg came sprinting up from below her, also tearing off his work clothes to reveal the gleaming titanium body armor underneath. "Look at his heart!" He bellowed.

Starfire looked, and saw that beneath the swirling oil, there appeared to be a glowing yellow center.

"You get rid of the oil, I'll aim for the heart!" He said, drawing his cannon.

Starfire nodded, adrenaline racing, and with the righteous fury that only a superheroine could control, began her attack. Her palms burned and her shoulders strained as she pounded and pounded and pounded the oil man from every angle, but when the smoke cleared, he was still flaming, and still heading for the bay.

"Cyborg, it's not working!" She yelled.

"My cannon's not gonna do anything unless you manage to get the oil down!" He yelled.

Starfire's breath came short. How the fuck was she supposed to –

"Stand back!" She screamed at Cyborg. As soon as she saw him running away, she flew to hover in front of the monster. Recalling the last time she'd had to do this – the panic that she'd felt at having to save her friend – she summoned all of her power together, pressing her hands into a small ball. A starbolt formed within it, and grew bigger and bigger as she expanded, raising her arms until the weight of the giant ball of green fire was almost too much for her to handle –

And then she threw it with a scream at the oil man.

Through the near blindness from her attack, she could see the oil falling away to the street.

"NOW, CYBORG!"

His sonic cannon ripped through the air and she had to dodge to avoid it, blast after blast rocketing forward and trying to attack the ubiquitous glowing yellow center, which itself had the vague hazy shape of a man. One shot hit the thing's arm and it retreated down into the earth. The oil, however, flowed to the south towards the bay.

Starfire flew down to Cyborg. "Was that the creature who controls oil that you were telling me about?"

"I think so," he said, looking at his arm sensors. "And I think I know what it's after."

"What?"

"The reserve of oil that's beneath Titans Tower."

Starfire's face paled. "It's after the Tower?"

Cyborg nodded. "And I don't think I managed to kill him."

The hot oil flowed past Starfire's feet, made her have to hover slightly above the street. All of the people were standing inside stores and on top of counters. "We can't do this alone."

Cyborg nodded again. "I'll get BB and Robin, but I don't know where Raven is."

"Leave that to me!" Starfire said, shooting off into the sky. For a brief moment she caught a glimpse of Gary's face in the crowds, staring up at her in complete shock. She locked eyes with him for a moment before flying off downtown.

Kori Anderson was gone. She was Starfire, and she had a city to save.

* * *

**Woot superhero time! There hasn't been enough action in this story yet. Well please review! Next chapter; the Titans finally come together again! Thank you all so much! - PVB**


	16. Assemble

**Chapter Sixteen – Assemble**

* * *

The oil flowed hot and fast as Cyborg sprinted through the streets. The city was about to be burned alive – there was no time for mistakes or hesitation. People were counting on him. He saw it in their eyes as he ran past.

Thank God he still drove the T-car to work. And that baby was _designed_ to operate in an oil slick.

He peeled out of the garage like a maniac and sped downtown. He plugged in Robin's name on his arm and watched as his systems tried to find him. Without his communicator it would be hard, but he could have sworn he'd put a DNA scanner in there –

Yes! He was at the police station.

Cyborg made a hard right, drifting into the center of the flaming street, and then kept rolling.

Robin, being Robin, was outside the police station herding people onto the roof to protect them. Cyborg almost didn't recognize him in the dark blue uniform, but only one person would wear sunglasses like that.

He pulled up and rolled down the window. "Yo, Robin!"

Robin turned around and his face dropped. "Cyborg?"

"Get the fuck in the car!"

After a moment Robin broke into a smile. Making several women gasp, he effortlessly flipped off the roof of the station and landed through the sunroof in the passenger seat.

"Haven't done that in years," he said as Cyborg pulled away. "Where are we going?"

"To save the city, idiot. Know where BB is?"

"What about Starfire and Raven?"

"Star's getting her. We have to get the green kid."

The sensor on his arm beeped and showed a green dot travelling very fast downtown.

"Fuck, he's already morphed. Ten bucks he's a hawk."

"You drive, I'll see if I can spot him." Robin stood up and stuck his head out of the sunroof.

"Hey, Rob?"

"Yeah?"

Cyborg grinned. "Missed you, bro."

Robin reached out a fist and tapped Cyborg's knuckles. "Just like old times."

Cyborg's driving became more and more Grand Theft Auto as the swaths of flaming oil became bigger and bigger, and more than once the T-car shifted onto two wheels, making Robin grab the chasse of the car to stay grounded. His keen eyes scanned the skies, looking for anything green. He was prepared to look for a small, tiny hawk. But Beast Boy made it easy on him.

"BEAST BOY!" He screamed, as a giant green pterodactyl flew past him in the opposite direction. The pterodactyl banked and then pushed through the air towards the car. Robin ducked in, and Beast Boy transformed into a man and fell into the backseat.

"You owe me ten bucks," Robin said.

"What's the plan?" Beast Boy said.

"Working on it," Cyborg replied. "We're meeting Star and Raven down at the bay. Serve this giant fucker some Titans whoop-ass, hot out the oven."

"Star's actually going to fight?" Robin said.

"Never mind that, _Raven_ is going to fight?"

"If Star does her job she will."

"Guys, I've been fucking Raven."

"Things that aren't relevant," Cyborg moaned, throwing his head back.

"Also, we all knew you guys were fucking the last year we were at the Tower," Robin said.

"We were so subtle!"

"A green dog humping Raven's leg was _so_ subtle."

"There's the bay," Cyborg said, as the boys crested a hill and started speeding down the empty streets towards the water, where the Tower was shining in the sunset.

"Let's hope Starfire did her job," Cyborg said. "Without the girls, we don't stand a chance."

* * *

Starfire thought that the oil man had picked a great time to attack. If he'd done this during the day, God knows where Raven would have been. As it was, Starfire headed downtown the second that she left Cyborg. She went to the wrestling ring and literally flew past the bouncer, her body hanging low over the ground. Everyone gasped as she sped over the wrestling ring in her tall riding boots and purple v-neck, and she flew like a torpedo into the southwest corridor and down to the end of the hall.

Raven was just getting ready for the nights work, rolling a pair of lace-top stockings up her legs as Starfire barged in.

"Starfire – "

"No time!" She gasped. "The city's being attacked. We have to go!"

"What?" Raven said, bewildered.

"Cyborg and I managed to fend off the first attack, but the city needs all of us if it's gonna stand a chance. Cyborg is getting Robin and Beast Boy as we speak."

"Wait, you mean fight? Star, I haven't in years, I can't – "

"You have to! We need you, Raven!"

Raven shook her head. "Look, I got – "

"You're going to sit here and tell me what you'd rather stay here and _fuck_ someone for money than save the city that was your first real home?"

Starfire's eyes were literally blazing green, making her pupils and irises disappear. Seeing her made something rise within Raven.

"I don't know if I know how."

"You're a superhero. We'll figure it out as we go."

She hesitated.

"Please, Raven."

The raven on her back took flight.

"Just lemme get changed."

* * *

**Ahhh the tension! Next time - the fight! Please review! Love and Titans - PVB**


	17. Saving Jump City

**Chapter Seventeen – Saving Jump City**

* * *

The boys arrived first to find that the waters in the bay were already a sickly black color. Strains of dirty oil wove through the formerly crystal waters and made the entire sea look sinister and vile. They got out of the car and stood on the shore to watch, all of them speechless.

"So what do we do now?" Beast Boy asked.

"We wait for the girls and we come up with a plan," Robin said. As scared shitless as he was, the idea of leading the team again was making his heart beat stronger than it had in years.

"Does this thing have any weaknesses?" Beast Boy said.

"Chemically, petroleum is just like any other oil," Cyborg said as he peered down at his arm. "It'll become chemically unknit if we let it either burn or freeze."

"Well, that thing has got the burning down," Robin said. "But if we could take care of the freezing…"

At that moment, a familiar whooshing sound was heard from overhead, and Robin and Beast Boy both looked up with a little too much excitement in their eyes.

Starfire and Raven landed beside them in the light of a pale sunset.

The years had changed everyone, but Starfire and Raven the most. Starfire, her innocent alien persona gone, was wearing brown riding boots, jeans, and a purple shirt. Her hands were clenched in fists, but her eyes were smiling. Raven stared at all of them with surprise and shock written on her face. She, of all of them, was the only one still wearing her old uniform – black leotard, blue cape and boots. Beast Boy's heart soared to see her out of the whorehouse.

And for the first time in ten years, the Teen Titans were all together again. There were a few moments as everyone looked at each other – only Starfire had seen all of the other four. Robin's eyes bugged out at Raven's hair and Cyborg couldn't believe how grown-up Beast Boy looked. But after a few moments, Starfire's voice came through –

"So, what's the plan?"

"Working on it."

"Well, work on it faster," Cyborg said, pointing to the sea. As they were speaking, the oil had begun churning in front of Titans Tower, creating a whirlpool.

"We've got to get out there," Beast Boy said.

"Titans," Robin began, "GO!"

Starfire grabbed Robin and Beast Boy morphed to grab Cyborg, and they flew out to the abandoned island. Behind them, the oil-man began to form, legs building up from the ground.

"We're gonna need some way to set him on fire," Cyborg said. "I think I know how to freeze him, but we need a spark – "

"You rang?"

They turned to find Bumblebee, standing in a black dress with a yellow sash, her stingers stashed on her hips and a victorious smirk on her face.

"Bee?" Starfire said.

"Couldn't let you bitches have all the fun without me," she said as she stepped forward. "Now what do you need?"

"When he gets larger, we're gonna need you to set him on fire. I want to let him burn for a while before we freeze him down." Robin said.

"Got it."

"Titans – "

The thing was finally reaching its full size, looming large over the Tower. They all craned their necks to look at it. The glowing yellow center was starting to take form, and a terrifying grin was forming upon the huge face.

"You do not recognize me, do you?"

"Uh, no?" Robin called.

"I am Cain, and I am the cursed offspring of Plasmus and the city's oil supply, here to take revenge for the killing of my father."

"_Plasmus_? You've got to be fucking kidding me," Beast Boy said.

"We'll take you down just like your father!" Robin yelled.

"Bee, fly up behind him," Cyborg said. Bumblebee transformed into her tiny state and flew off out to sea.

"For years you have ignored me as I throbbed beneath the city, biding my time, waiting to bring you and this damned city to its knees – "

"Really? Monologing?" Raven called. "You are such a bit villain."

"You heathenish little – "

"Bee, now!" Robin called.

With a zap of lightning, Cain was set afire as Bumblebee rose to her full size and began zapping around his neck and head. Soon the flames had spread all the way down to the ocean floor as Bumblebee flew back to the Titans.

"Idiots!" Cain screamed, stepping towards them. "Do you not know that I thrive on flame?"

"Probably not alien flame," Starfire screamed, her fists growing green. "Robin, can I light his ass up?"

"Be my guest."

"Come on, Star," Cyborg's arm transformed with a series of clicks, "let's bring him down."

Suddenly Cain launched a ball of flaming oil at the group, making them scatter as Beast Boy transformed into his first animal of the night.

"Oh, shit," Robin yelled, "Titans, move!"

Starfire grabbed Cyborg by the arms and they flew off into the sky.

"Just like old times, huh, girl?"

"Always," she said. A glowing black disc from Raven appeared below them, and she dropped Cyborg onto it as she flew up. With a battle cry, she drew back her shoulders and launched her attack just as Cyborg's blue sonic cannons began to rip Cain apart.

Down on the island, the others were focusing on dodging the burning oil as well as protecting Raven, who was concentrated on hovering Cyborg. Beast Boy had her in his arms as a bear as she closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples.

"What about us, Robin?" Beast Boy called.

"We wait until he's burned out. Then, Raven will contain him with her magic while I shoot in some freeze pods. Beast Boy, you need to go in there as some cold-resistant animal and kill the yellow center that he has."

"Robin, I'm not sure if I can – " Raven said.

"LOOK OUT!"

A giant ball of burning oil came flying right for them, and Beast Boy hefted up Raven and jumped out of the way. His foot got caught in the fire and he hit the ground screaming.

"Garfield!" Raven yelled, dropping down beside him. Out by Cain, the black disc holding up Cyborg vanished, and he fell screaming to the ground until Starfire caught him. Cain was burning green and red like a giant black Christmas tree.

"Garfield, are you okay?"

"_Fuck_," he grunted, grabbing his ankle.

"Hold on, I'll heal it." She held out her hands, glowing silver.

"Raven, wait, save your energy – " Robin said.

"Don't you dare tell me not to heal him!" She snapped. Beast Boy's eyes widened as she touched his foot and began to suck out the pain. Out at sea, Cain continued to burn, and Bumblebee flew out to keep the fire going. Starfire flew back to drop Cyborg off, and said,

"Better act soon, guys."

"I know. Raven?"

She pulled her hand away. "How does it feel?"

He stood up and tested his weight on his foot. "Thanks, baby."

Her face lit up as a flush rose up on her cheeks. "Ready to kick some ass?"

Beast Boy nodded and transformed into a pterodactyl. Raven created a disc for Robin to fly on, and as the moon rose over the sea they flew out to where Cain was burning up the night.

"We got one shot, guys," Robin yelled, as he pulled out a few freeze discs. Raven nodded, her stomach suddenly in knots. Could she still do this?

Cain burned before her, large and fierce and orange. He stepped towards them, and they had to swerve out of his way. The heat flew over Raven's skin.

Beast Boy turned to her and smiled.

"Now, Raven!" Robin yelled.

"Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!"

She threw her hands forward and created a gigantic black bubble that contained him from his head to the sea floor. Bumblebee shot out as Robin ran forward and shot in his entire store of freeze discs. The bubble shuddered and Raven closed her eyes to focus. Then she felt the rush as Beast Boy's wings closed beside her.

"Close it!" Robin said.

She opened her eyes and saw a small arctic wolf inside the bubble, pawing through the frozen oil. "Beast Boy's in there!"

"You have to trust him!" Robin yelled.

Feeling her heart wrench in worry, she closed her fists and the bubble closed with them. They hung suspended over the sea floor, the moon making the bubble shine.

Robin crouched on his black disc as Raven above him. Her heart was thumping so loud she was surprised Robin couldn't hear it. Oh, God, was Beast Boy okay? If he couldn't kill Cain's yellow center, they were done for.

Suddenly, the bubble cracked and began to collapse. A yellow oil leaked out and into the ocean.

"GARFIELD!" She screamed.

A peregrine falcon shot out of the bubble, holding in its claws a yellow orb.

He'd done it!

"Robin, catch!" Beast Boy transformed into a human and tossed the orb to Robin, who promptly stabbed it with a Birdarang.

But Raven couldn't care less. She created a disc below herself and Beast Boy landed in front of her, grabbing her waist and pulling her in for a deep kiss.

And suddenly everything was right with the world.

* * *

**Yaay! So sorry for the late update and the quick ending - school's been a little crazy lately. But man, 70 whole reviews? I am one lucky authoress :) you guys seriously rock. Thanks for all the love! Next chapter - back to romance, RobStar style :) Kisses and thanks - PVB**


	18. Finally

**Chapter Eighteen – Finally**

* * *

And finally, Raven and Beast Boy were together. Kissing like lovestruck teenagers in the middle of the ocean with a brilliant moonrise behind them.

Starfire stood on the side of the ocean with a sweet, nostalgic smile on her face. It was about damn time.

Without her noticing, Robin had arrived beside her, and when she looked over in surprise she could see him smiling too.

"We've been waiting for that to happen for far too long," he said.

She smiled. "Not that long. They always did move faster than us. They were a couple before Slade died, remember?"

"I remember," he said, reaching out to twine her fingers in his own. Instinctively, she pulled back.

Robin sighed. "Starfire, they've been waiting for us to be together for far too long too."

"I just…I don't…"

"Why in the hell are you still holding back?"

She bit her lip and looked at the ground. God knew she couldn't say it out loud.

"Kori!"

She whirled around. Oh, _shit_. Could her life get any more dramatic?

Gary was standing behind her, having hijacked a minivan that was most certainly not his. He stood behind her and Robin with a face that looked like he'd just shat himself.

"Gary, what are you doing here?" She moaned.

"I had to talk with you. I deserve more of an answer than you gave me back there."

Cyborg and Bee had walked over, and Raven and Beast Boy were coming down from their make-out perch in the sky. Starfire felt her fists clenching involuntarily. "Alright, what do you want to know?"

"First of all, who the fuck _are_ these freaks?"

"They aren't freaks," she snapped. Gary's face was rough and contorted. "This is… Robin, and Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Bumblebee. We're the Teen Titans."

"Those kids who used to save the city from villains?"

"Yeah."

"So you're the red-headed girl." Comprehension dawned on his face. "The one they said was an alien."

"It's Starfire," she said, standing up tall. "Or Koriand'r, if you prefer. That's my name in my first language, from the planet Tamaran."

"You mean I fucked an _alien_?"

This was about all Robin could take. He walked forward and planted himself in front of Gary, saying in his deepest ward-of-Batman voice,

"She's not an alien. She's a superheroine."

Now Robin was a scary ass fucker. But he was short. Gary had a solid foot on him. He smirked down on Robin and said,

"Now what right do you have to talk to me about my girlfriend?"

"She's not your girlfriend anymore," he shot back. "And for the record, I was her first kiss."

_Oh, shit!_ Starfire cringed.

Gary's face contorted into a demonic mask, and he picked up Robin by his collar. "You fucking – "

Bad idea. Robin flipped up as easily as a pop tab and kicked Gary under the chin, sending him sprawling backward as Robin landed in a crouch.

"Robin, that's enough." Starfire walked forward and picked Gary up using her superstrength. "Gary, you alright?"

"Hold on, hold on." He stepped away from her, his gray eyes still wide. "You're seriously an alien?"

"I'd really rather you not use that word."

"Is that why it was so hard to make you orgasm?"

"Gary!" She screeched. Robin had turned to her with his eyebrows high.

"And why you were always so weird? Do you still communicate with them? When we first met, you couldn't really even speak English."

"You should've seen her when she was a teenager," Beast Boy muttered. Starfire silenced him with a glare and said,

"Gary, this is who I am. As long as we're in full disclosure mode, I happen to be the princess of my home planet, forced to leave because I was captured and sold into slavery. And yes, I still communicate with them, my childhood nanny is the emperor of the planet. I should've told you sooner, and I'm sorry. But I'm willing to give this a chance if you are."

Gary's mouth was completely open.

"It might actually work better this time, since you now know all about me," she said hopefully.

But her heart stilled as she saw him backing away from her, a new crooked smile on his face.

"It was fun, Kori," he said, opening the car door. "But I'm sorry. Hot as you are, I'm not dating an alien."

And he hopped in the car and peeled away from her, as she stood with a shocked expression on her face and tears forming in her eyes.

"IT'S STARFIRE, YOU ASS!" She roared, before falling in Raven's arms and sobbing. Pretty soon all of the Titans had gathered around and were hugging her, as she struggled to process what had just happened.

She wasn't even that sad about Gary leaving, he'd been such an ass lately anyway. But to be dumped because of who – because of what – she was…well, she hoped she'd never have to feel utter dejectedness again. Because she felt like nothing. Her heart and soul were down in her stomach today, pumping out bitterness and heartbreak.

She couldn't look around her. All she could do was cry. But after a few minutes and some quiet murmuring, she felt wind on her face. Starfire opened her eyes to see the Jump City skyline moving past her.

"What – "

"Easy, Star," Robin said. Her forehead was pressed against his shoulder blade and they were riding away on the R-cycle. "I've got you."

She sat up, her hair whipping back. "Robin, where are you taking me?"

"Home."

She looked forward and saw where they were driving – across the bridge, over the shimmering bay. Towards the giant 'T' shining like a lighthouse.

"Home," she whispered.

She hadn't been able to truly say that in such a long time.

For some reason, when Robin carried her, she didn't mind. He scanned his hand at the entrance and carried her up the stairs to the living room, where the skyline twinkled in the indigo sky. Memories slammed her in the face, making her gasp – there was the stain where Beast Boy spilled Coke that one time. The table where Cyborg and Raven used to play chess. The sofa where she and Robin sat after he had become Slade's apprentice and she was too shy to let him know how afraid she'd been of losing him.

He laid her down gently on the couch, and without asking for permission, laid beside her and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her close. She shivered when his lips accidentally brushed against her forehead. Oh, God, he felt so good, so strong, so sure.

"Robin…" she whispered.

"It's just you and me tonight," he said, his breath making her hair flutter. The Tower was absolutely silent. The stars were silent. The sea was silent. Jump City itself was silent.

Starfire had the crazy thought that the entire city was willing her to kiss him.

But she was still…_fuck_, she couldn't…

"Starfire, what's wrong?"

Tears leaked out of her green eyes, gluing her eyelashes into triangles. "Robin, I need to know…will you – "

She couldn't even get it out without crying. He cupped her chin and stared at her through the sunglasses. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Will we be forever?"

He froze.

"Because I can't do it anymore," she said with a sob, her throat closing up. "No more boyfriends who are just gonna leave me. No more temporary modeling jobs, no more temporary worlds. I need stability, Robin, I need you." The words were coming in a torrent and she couldn't stop them if she tried. "I have loved you for twelve years now and I will love you until I die, but I need to know that you'll stand by me, even though I'm an…I know I'm an alien, but could you please? Tell me we're forever? And could you mean it? Cause if not, then I think I'm done for."

His face betrayed no expression, and more tears slipped out of her eyes. Oh no, it was just like she thought, just like he said all those years ago – he wasn't interested. She was nothing but an alien to him. Gary's voice rang in her ears – _alien, alien, alien_. Would she always be a stranger on this planet?

Robin said nothing, but his hands reached out and found hers. With steady, gentle fingers, he took her hand and reached up to his sunglasses.

"Take off my sunglasses, Starfire," he said, his voice warm.

Wonderstruck, hardly believing it was true, her fingers gently hooked around the bridge of his sunglasses and slipped them off his face. For the first time in her life, Starfire looked into Robin's eyes, and found herself staring at a pair of mythical, blue-gray eyes, so light they faded into the whites. His whole face was lighter with his eyes uncovered, making him look like a fabled Romeo instead of the crime fighting hero she knew him to be.

"I wanted you to see my eyes," he said, "when I told you that I will stay by your side until I draw my last breath."

Oh, my God!

Jump City cheered in the background.

She burst out in a smile, tears gathering in the corners of her mouth, and brought him forward for a kiss so deep he literally stole her breath – she had to come up for air. But by that time, she'd caught a peek of his muscular chest beneath the police uniform, and she was done for.

She would love this man forever.

* * *

Starfire's hands reached upward, pulling off her purple t-shirt to expose a black lacy bra. With a sultry smile, she reached back and unsnapped the bra with a click, and her breaths fell forward, heavy onto her chest.

Robin couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe. This was literally all he had ever wanted – Starfire, saying she was madly in love with him, undressing beneath him. Was this a dream? Was this one of Slade's delusions? This shit wasn't real life. Guys like him didn't get the girl like her. The skinny, short, rich techie from Gotham High with eyes so blue they called him a girl didn't end up with the prom-queen-cheerleader-varsity-athlete-powerhouse, which was what Starfire was. Life never ended up this good.

"I love you, Robin," she murmured.

"I love you too," he said.

"Now…" her fingers slipped sensuously down his pants, finally coming to rest on his bulging erection. Her mere touch made his breath catch. "I've been waiting for something to happen for far too long."

This had to be a dream.

"Starfire – "

The girl was a pro. In one moment, his zipper was down and she had pushed one finger through the button hole in his boxers.

Her soft finger on his penis was not a dream – repeat, NOT A DREAM. Dreams didn't feel this good.

Suddenly he was so on. He reached up and pulled her bra off, and she smiled and shrugged her shoulders forward to make it easier. Next came her pants, then his pants – it was a game of strip poker – and then his boxers – she whistled when she saw his massively erect penis – and then, oh my God, her _panties came off_…

She was completely shaved.

"Starfire," he said, aware that his voice sounded like the grunt of a mating bull, "we're gonna have sex now, right? Cause if we don't, I will have the biggest case of blue balls in this known world. You are the most beautiful woman I will _ever_ see."

She gave a small laugh and reached below her. He gasped when he felt her hands, so so soft, on the tip of his penis, and then she gently pulled forward, he moved his hips with her, and then she led him to her soft, secret place, and oh she felt so good –

"You tell me, Mr. Grayson."

After that, male instincts took over. Her face, that red hair, those killer curves and her soft, soft little spot between her legs – with every surge, he felt himself soaring and soaring, the way that her eyes closed in happiness and tiny moans of pleasure escaped from where she was biting her bottom lip – yes, this was heaven, _nothing_ on earth could be this good –

And then he remembered –

"Starfire, how do I make you orgasm?"

"What?" she gasped.

"I want to make you orgasm. Tell me how," he said.

Her eyes widened and her mouth burst in a smile. "I need you to go as fast as humanely possible. That's how I masturbate. Hard and fast."

He dropped a kiss onto her lips. "You got it, sugar."

And then Robin became a man possessed. Gary's smug face, the way that never once in three years had he made her orgasm, made him so mad that he fucked like he was on a mission. His abs pushed and contracted with every thrusting surge, and he built her up slowly, until the entire couch was rocking back and forth. The moonlight shone on her face, slightly sweaty around the hair line, and her head was thrown back, murmuring, "Yes, yes, yes – "

He put his head down, closed his eyes, and thrusted like his life depended on it. He needed to orgasm so bad it hurt, but he refused to until she finally had the satisfaction of coming –

"OH!"

He felt it. Her vagina contracted around his penis and something within her rocketed and shuddered. Finally, finally, he let himself go, and for the first time in his life, he and his partner climaxed together. It was the most perfect orgasm he had ever had.

Afterward, she wrapped her hands around him and pulled him down, their sweaty chests and rising and falling together. He almost didn't want to look her in the eyes for fear that it would ruin something so perfect, but she pulled him in for a kiss and he found that she was laughing, from her mouth and from her eyes. He laughed too, and then they were together, naked on the couch in Titans Tower, the city shining beyond the huge window.

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's do that again."

He laughed. "For the rest of our lives?"

Her eyes were so bright. "For the rest of our lives."

* * *

**Yaaay! Hello friends, sorry for the later update than usual! Life's been pretty crazy, but now that Hurricane Sandy has stormed me in, I figured I'd pop a zinfandel and write some SMJC :) I hope you enjoyed it!**

**I also have something that I would like to tell you all. As some of you may know, National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November, and I figured it's about time for me to move on from fanfiction and write another novel. I really hope to finish SMJC before then so I don't leave you guys hanging, but this is just a warning and an apology that I may not be able to update as quickly as I used to. There aren't many more chapters left - only two, by my reckoning - but in case I don't get them done before NaNoWriMo, then I have to write 6 pages a day to finish in time, and that doesn't leave a whole lot of time for my dear Teen Titans :/ I'd like to thank you all for coming this far with me, and please stick it out to the end, because your reviews always make me day, and they leave me a little happier about my potential as a writer :) alright, sorry for making you read all that. Please review! Thank you so much! - PVB**


	19. Jump City Lovers

**Chapter Nineteen – Jump City Lovers**

* * *

Raven watched Robin and Starfire drive off to Titans Tower like Cinderella with her Prince Charming. On the shore, she, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Bumblebee stood with their backs to the city, and Raven became aware that she had kissed someone for love. This was the first time she'd done that since…well, Beast Boy. Was he really the only man she had ever kissed and enjoyed it?

Oh, my God, she was in love with him. Oh, no.

Before she could gather her thoughts, he turned to her with a smile and said,

"So, back to my place or yours?"

Oh, my God!

She panicked, her heart beating in her throat, and vanished into the ground in a black wave. Beast Boy's face dropped and he screamed at where she was disappearing,

"Raven!"

She was already gone. Clenching his jaw, he transformed into a bird and flew off in the direction of her house, himself disappearing against the night sky.

Cyborg wrapped an arm around Bumblebee's shoulder. "Crazy kids."

"Are they gonna be okay?"

"Those two? Oh, yeah. Don't you worry. Come on, let's go home."

They walked over to the T-car to drive home and leave love to its own devices.

* * *

Raven appeared in her bedroom within a moment of first disappearing. Tears bubbled at her eyes and she felt like she was about to explode. She found herself pacing in the small room like a caged animal.

_Fuck_!

Of course she loved him. She'd known that all along. But still she couldn't let herself love him. Girls like her didn't deserve love. After eight years of sex work and seven years of hard drugs, love was pointless. She was beyond saving.

The thoughts ate her up until she could think of nothing else to do but punish herself. With crazed, wild fingers, she dug around in her drawers until she found a razor blade, brown blood still staining the edges from her last cutting bout.

_You don't deserve him. This is what you deserve. Pain is all you deserve_.

She gripped the small blade tight in her fingers and bared her left wrist. With a squint, she made out a small area not already scarred by her actions. There we go.

She pressed the blade down against her skin, felt the delicious bite, blood welled up in tiny red bubbles, and she prepared to slice it across –

The claws of an eagle swooped down, catching her fingers and making her drop the razor.

As she turned, Beast Boy materialized before her and pulled her into a hug.

"No! Goddamn it, NO!" He said, his voice tight in her ear. "You can't."

"Please let me," she said, tears blocking her voice. "It's what I deserve."

"No, I'm not going to let you."

"I want to!"

"NO!"

"You're an ass for not letting me!"

"I'm just trying to help!"

"What do you still see in me?" She cried, her voice raw with pain.

"You know, Raven, sometimes I don't know!" He yelled back. She stepped back as the force of his words hit her square in the chest.

"You're moody, you can't show affection, you sleep with men for money, you drown your emotions in drugs, and you are way, way, _way_ fucking creepy!" It was as if the words were pouring out of him. "We lived together for two years and never once did I hear you say you loved me! Do you know how hard that is to live with?"

Beast Boy stood, his chest heaving, bitter tears lining the bottom of his eyes. Raven, not for the first time, felt a punch of regret for what she had made this poor man live through.

"Sometimes I don't know what I see in you," he said, his voice low and gravelly, "but all I know is that I will _never_, in all of my life, be able to stop loving you."

A bubble of happiness rose in her chest.

"And you are really as crazy as they say if you think that I'm going to let you get away from me again," he finished.

It was too good to be true.

In a trance, she walked forward and fell into his arms, blood trickling down her forearm, and he grabbed her tight and lowered her onto the bed. Sex was the farthest thing from her mind – she only walked to hold him and never let him go. She gripped tight to his shirt with her nails and pressed her face against his chest until his heartbeat thudded through her own body.

"Garfield?" She whispered.

"Yes?"

"You really think I'm worth saving?"

"Not just worth saving. You're worth loving."

She grabbed tight to him, his strong body melding so perfectly with hers, and said,

"I need saving."

His hand reached up to stroke her hair, lulling her into a peace of mind that she had thought was unattainable.

"Well it's a good thing you came back to Jump City, isn't it?"

She smiled. "I want to spend the rest of my life saving this city with you."

"And we will, baby. But I think in your case, the city did the saving this time, don't you think?"

Raven found herself realizing the perfect beauty of her life. All those years in Steel City, the security she thought she had over there, was all shattered when Kyla was busted for weed possession and she busted her out of prison and they had to flee to Jump City. She was so scared when she first came – she thought that her ruse was done, she was through, and she would be forced to confront her fears. Who knew that when Starfire found her underneath that wrestling ring, that would be the saving grace that she needed?

"Garfield?"

"Yes?"

Oh, my God, she was finally going to say it. The words were heavy and tingling on her tongue. "I love you."

She could literally feel him smile. "I love you too, Rae. I've loved you all along."

Raven snuggled into his shoulder and he planted a kiss on her forehead. All of her fears and failures melted away, and she fell asleep in his arms as the full moon shined in through the window.

* * *

**Hey guys! Once again, Hurricane Sandy is the best thing that ever happened to this fanfic, since I have nothing to do and several bottles of wine to kill :) well, next chapter is the last one - I'm so sad! Thanks so much for all of the love guys, I really appreciate it. Writing this story has been a dream because of my readers. Please review! All my lovin - PVB**

**PS. In case anyone was curious, the inspiration for the theme of this chapter (and of the story title in general) is 'Save Me, San Francisco' by Train. Such a good song :)**


	20. The Tower

**Chapter Twenty – The Tower**

* * *

The next morning, Robin woke up naked in Starfire's arms to the sound of his Titans communicator going off.

The communicator going off was déjà vu. Actually fucking Starfire was not.

"What?" He grunted into it. "Who the hell is this?"

"Wakey wakey sunshine! It's a great day to move!" Cyborg yelled in delight. Starfire turned over in her sleep, her perfect breasts escaping from beneath the sheets.

"What are you talking about?"

"We're moving back to Titans Tower!"

Robin, already falling into the guise of the leader, was all prepared to immediately tell Cyborg that this was a bad idea, he should be more rational, that would never work –

Until he realized that it was a fantastic idea.

"Yeah, good idea. I'll wake up Starfire."

"After twelve years you finally got it in?"

"Goodbye, Cyborg."

He snapped the communicator shut and placed it back on the bedside table. He bent over Starfire and gently ran his lips over her ear.

"Koriand'r."

"Dick," she murmured, turning over again. "What was that?"

"It was Cyborg. Do you know what we're doing today?"

She shook her head.

"We're moving back into the Tower."

Starfire blinked a few times, attempting to process what was going on. Then her eyes lit up, and for a split second she sounded just like her old alien self.

"Splendous!"

* * *

Over at Raven's run down shack, she was the one who answered the phone. Beast Boy was sleeping like a bear – old habits die hard. She was just about to gently disentangle herself from him to do her morning meditation when the communicator rang.

"Yes?"

"Raven? It's Cyborg."

"Sup?"

"Hey, guess what we're doing today?"

"Moving back into the Tower?"

"How did you know? You didn't read my mind, did you?"

"No, lucky guess," she said with a smile. "I'll get Beast Boy."

"Oh, please. We know you boned. 'You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel – '"

She snapped the communicator shut.

"Jesus Christ. Hey, Gar?"

He drooled on the pillow.

"Beast Boy. Wake up."

She poked him, and he rolled over onto his back. She blinked. Even after fucking him like four times, she still hadn't realized he could pitch a tent like _that_.

"Baby, wake up."

He opened his sleepy green eyes and smiled at her. "What's up?"

"We're moving back into the Tower today."

"About damn time," he smiled.

She leaned over and kissed him. "Wanna help me pack?"

"Anything for you, hun. _Oy_."

He attempted to sit up and ended up reaching down to touch his very sore penis. She looked down with wide eyes.

"I love you Raven and I'm glad we didn't fuck last night, but you still got me blue-ballsed as hell."

A sultry smile crept onto her dark lips. "Well, I am a former prostitute."

She slid underneath the sheets and lowered her body down.

"Let me take care of that for you."

A crazed grin crept onto his young face and his scream of 'YES!' was heard throughout the city.

* * *

It was dusk by the time they all gathered. Raven had gotten there first, since her possessions consisted of a closet of hooker clothes and some leather-bound books. Then she spent the rest of the day helping the rest of them move out with her telekinesis. There would have to be more time before it was fully done – Cyborg and Bumblebee were moving out of the house where they'd lived for eight years. But no matter how much work still needed to be done, the six of them arrived at the shore of Titans Tower just as the sun was setting and stood to watch the light fade from the sky.

"Back home," Starfire said. Her fingers were intertwined with Robin's.

"You sure we're not gonna drive each other crazy like last time?" He said.

"Don't worry, we're more mature now," Cyborg said.

"Speak for yourself," Beast Boy said, and was promptly slapped by Raven.

"I can't believe I agreed to live with you morons," Bumblebee said, running a hand over her face.

"Come on, you know you love us." Cyborg planted a kiss on her face.

"I love peace and quiet too."

"Well, after living with a man with a sonic cannon in his arm, that's a strange request," Raven said.

Suddenly, the lights from the living room started flashing red. They turned around to see a huge blue explosive light coming from the financial district.

"Really? We just moved in!" Beast Boy moaned.

"The city calls," Starfire said.

"Guess it's a good thing we're all together," Cyborg said. They all turned expectantly to Robin, who was standing with a huge grin on his face.

"Titans," he said, "GO!"

* * *

**Aaahh it's done! And right before November too! I'm so happy to finally see this story come to a conclusion :) I want to thank each and every one of you who has reviewed, faved and followed this story, because that's what's made it worthwhile. There are a few in particular who I want to call out - TheDarkQueenOfRandomness, gabylokita41, Hey-wazup-stalker, Angel of Darkness 1214, RheaThePsychoticNinja, Helvetica1revolution, and rainwalker104 have been with me from the beginning, and I want to give a very special thank you, since all of your love means so much to me! **

**As always, I try and go through and review those who have reviewed me, so keep an eye out for me! You're all the best, thank you so much! Take care, and I'll see you in the next installment of PVB fanfiction :) All my lovin - Pegelia**


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